GARDENING EOR PROFIT; 

A GUIDE TO THE SUCCESSEUL CULTIVATION 



OF THE 



MARKET AND FAMILY GARDER 



ILL.USTI1A.TKJ3. 






PETER HENDERSON, 



n 

SOUTH BERGEN, N. J. 



NEW-YOllK . 
OUANGS^E JU33D & COMPANY, 

No. 245 BROADWAY. 



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Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year ISC'} 

ORANGE JUDD & CO., 

At the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the 
Southern District of New-York. 




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LovEJOY <fe Sox, 

L::rTi{OTYPERS Asm SxEnEOTVPr.:;?. 

15 Vandewater street N, Y 




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CONTENTS AND INDEX. 



CHAPTER 1.— The Men Fittea for the Business of Gardening 9 

CH APTER 2.— The Amount of Capital Required and Working Force per Acre . 12 

CHAPTER 3.— Profits of Market Gardening 16 

CHAPTER 4.— Location, Situation, and Laying Out 19 

CHAPTER 5.— Soils, Drainage, and Preparation 22 

CHAPTER 6.— Manures. 29 

CHAPTER 'T.— Implements 34 

Cylinder Plow 34 

Lifting^Sub-soil Plow 35 

Garden Harrow 35 

Digging Fork 36 

Spade 3(5 

Skeleton Plow. . . 37 

Cultivator 3t 

Pronged Hoe 38 

Rake 38 

Scuffle Hoe 39 

Clod-crusher 39 

Garden Roller 40 

Marker 40 

Market Wagon 41 

Seed Drill 41 

Dibber 42 

CHAPTER 8.— Uses and Management of Cold Frames 44 

CHAPTER 9.— Formation and Management of Hot-beds 49 

Watering 52 

Covering Against Frost 54 

CHAPTER 10,— Forcing Pits or Green-houses 57 

CHAPTER 11.— Seeds and Seed Raising 66 

CHAPTER 12.— How, When, and Whereto Sow Seeds 71 

Hardy and Tender Seeds 73 

Quantity of Seeds per Acre 78 

Quantity of Seeds for a Given Number of Plants 78 

Number of Plants to the Acre 79 

CHAPTER 13.— Transplanting ^0 

CHAPTER 14.— Packing Vegetables for Shipping 82 

CHAPTER 15.— Preservation of Vegetables in Winter 84 

CmVPTER 16.— Insects / 87 

CHAPTER 17.— Vegetables, their Varieties and Cultivation 91 

Asparagus 92 

Artichoke 98 

Artichoke, Jerusalem 99 



nr CONTENTS AND INDEX. 

PAGE. 

CHAPTER n.-Balm 101 

Basil 100 

Bean, Bush, Kidney, or Snap 101 

Bean, llunning or Pole 104 

Beet 106 

Borecole 110 

Broccoli 112 

Brussels Sprouts - 114 

Cabbage, Early 118 

Late 123 

" Turnip-rooted 157 

Capsicum 191 

Cauliflower 115 

Cardoon 126 

Carrot 126 

Celery 129 

Celeriac .139 

Celery, Turnip-rooted 139 

Chervil, Turnip-rooted 129 

Chives 1 40 

Com Salad 140 

Cress 140 

Cress, Water 141 

Colewort 142 

Collards 142 

Com 142 

Cucumber 144 

Egg Plant 148 

Endive 150 

Fettucus 140 

Garlic 152 

German Greens 110 

Gherkin 147 

Gumbo 176 

Horseradish 152 

Indian Cress 176 

Jerusalem Artichoke 99 

Kale.. 110 

Kohlrabi 157 

Leek 158 

Lettuce 159 

Marjoram 163-221 

Martynia 169 

Melon, Musk 164 

" Water 166 

Mint 168 

Musk Melon 164 

Mu9hrt)om 170 

Mustard 170 

Nasturtium 176 

New 2 1 aland Spinach 206 



Cn Sage 202-221 

Salsify 202 



CONTENTS AND INDEX. V 

T^^^ PAGE. 

9^ CHAPTER 17.— Okra. 176 

Onion 177 

Oyster Plant ^ ,? 202 

Parsley .1S4 

,' Parsnip 186 

/ / ^*) Pea 188 

Pepper 191 

Pepper-Grass 140 

Potato 192 

/a Pumpkin 197 

^ Radish. 197 

Rhubarb 200 

Rnta Bags 220 

Black 203 

/r Savoy - 125 

(v Scorzonera ,. 203 

SeaKale /. 204 

Shallots 206 

Sorrel 206 

\ Spinach 207 

Sprouts 110 

Squash , 208 

Summer Savory. 221 

Sweet Com .... .-rrTTrrT ...7^ 142 

Sweet Herbs.. 221 

Sweet Marjoram, 221 

Sweet Potato 211 

Swiss Chard 109 

Thyme 221 

Tomato 213 

Turnip 218 

Turnip-rooted Cabbage 157 

'• " Celery 139 

Chervil 129 

Watercress 141 

Water Melon .|.j:..... 166 

Propagation of Plants by Cuttings I . .C. 224 

Calendar of Operations for January * . / ; 230 

" " February..... J. 232 

March J ..[,X 233 

April 23i 

" »• May 235 

" " June 236 

♦* " July.*<^ 237 

" " August 238 

** " September 238 

** " October..! 239 

" " November 240 

•* " December ^W 

^ Y- ■ "- - 



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INTRODUCTION 



I hope it is no egotism to state that in both the Floral 
and Vegetable departments of Horticulture, in which I 
have been engaged for the past eighteen years, I have been 
eminently successful. Novr, we know, that success only 
is the test of good generalship, and it follows that, having 
been successful, I have thus earned my title to merit. 
From this standpoint, I claim the right to attempt the in- 
struction of the student of horticulture in the tactics of 
that field. 

We have very few works, either agricultural or horti- 
cultural, by American authors, whose writers are practical 
men, and fewer still of these who are men that have " risen 
from the ranks." The majority of such authors being ex- 
editors, lawyers, merchants, etc., men of means and edu- 
cation, who, engaging in the business as a pastime, in a 
year or two generously conclude to give the public the 
benefit of their experience — an experience, perhaps, that 
has been confined to a city lot, when the teachings were 
of the garden, or of a few acres in the suburbs, when the 
teachings were of the farm. 



INTRODUCTION. VYJ 

The practical farmer or gardener readily detects the ring 
of this spurious metalj and excusably looks upon all such 
instructors with contempt. To this cause, perhaps more 
than any other, may be attributed the wide-spread preju- 
dice against book-farming and book-gardening, by which 
thousands shut themselves off from information, the pos- 
possession of which might save years of useless toil and 
privation. 

I have some pride, under present circumstances, in say- 
ing, that I have had a worJcing experience in all depart- 
ments of gardening, from my earliest boyhood, and even 
to-day am far more at home in its manual operations than 
its literature, and have only been induced to write the fol- 
lowing pages at the repeated solicitations of friends and 
correspondents, to whose inquiries relative to commercial 
gardening, my time will no longer allow me to reply in- 
dividually. The work has been hurriedly written, at 
intervals snatched from the time which legitimately be- 
longed to my business, and therefore its text is likely 
to be very imperfect. I have endeavored, however, to be 
as concise and clear as possible, avoiding all abstruse or 
theoretical questions, which too often serve only to confuse 
and dishearten the man who seeks only for the instruction 
that shall enable him to practice. 

Although the directions given are mainly for the market 
garden, or for operations on a large scale, yet the amateur 
or private gardener will find no difficulty in modifying 
them to suit the smallest requirements. The commercial 
gardener, from the keen competition, ever going on in 
the vicinity of large cities, is, in his operations, taxed to 
his utmost ingenuity to get at the most expeditious and 



Till GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

economical methods to produce the finest crops — methods, 
that we believe to be superior to those in general use in 
private gardens, and which may, with profit, be followed. 

Our estimates of labor, I trust, will not be overlooked ; 
for, I know, it is no uncommon thing for gentlemen to 
expect their gardeners to do impossibilities in this way. 
The private garden cannot be properly cropped and cared 
for with less labor than can our market gardens, and these, 
we know, require nearly the labor of one man to an acre, 
and that too, with every labor-saving arrangement in 
practice. When the care of green-houses, or graperies, is 
in addition to this, extra labor must be given accordingly, 
or something must suffer. 

The greatest difficulty that has presented itself to me 
in giving the directions for operations, has been the dates ; 
in a country having such an area and diversity of temper- 
ature as ours, directions could not well be given for the 
extremes, so as the best thing to be done under the cir- 
cumstances, I have taken the latitude of New York as a 
basis, and my readers must modify my instructions to suit 
their locality. The number of varieties of each vegetable 
described here, is very small in comparison with those that 
are known, or the seeds of which are offered for sale. I 
have given only such, as I have found most serviceable. 
Those who wish for a more extended list are referred to 
the excellent work by Fearing Burr, Jr., on Garden 
Vegetables. 

South Bergen^ N. J.y 

December 1st, 186(5. 



GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



CHAPTER I. 

THE MEN FITTED FOR THE BUSINESS OF 
GARDENING. 



Although we shall here show the business of garaen- 
ing to be a profitable one, let no man deceive himself by 
supposing that these profits are attainable without steady 
personal application. 

Having been long known as extensively engaged in the 
business, I am applied to by scores every season, asking 
tiow they can make their lands available for garden 
purposes. The majority of these are city merchants, who 
for investment, or in anticipation of a rural retreat in the 
autumn of their days, have purchased a country place, 
and in the mean time they wish to make it pay ; they have 
read or heard that market gardening is profitable, and thoy 
think it an easy matter to hire a gardener to work the place, 
9 



10 GARDENING FOK PROFIT. 

while they attend their own mercantile duties as before. 
They are usually gentlemen of horticultural tendencies, 
read all the magazines and books on the subject, and from 
the knowledge thus obtained, plume themselves with the 
y)nceit that they are able to guide the machine. 

Many hundreds from our large cities delude themselves 
m this way every season, in different departments of hor- 
ticulture ; perhaps more in the culture of fruits than of 
vegetables. I have no doubt that thousands of acres arc 
annually planted, that in three years afterwards are aban- 
doned, and the golden dreams of these sanguine gentle- 
men forever dissipated. Although the workers of the 
soil will not, as a class, compare in intelligence with the 
mercantile men of the cities, it is a mistake to suppose 
that this want of education or intelligence is much of a 
drawback, when it comes to cultivating strawberries or 
cabbages. True, the untutored rnind does not so readily 
comprehend theoretical or scientific knowledge, but for 
that very reason it becomes more thoroughly practical, 
and I must say that, as far as my experience has gone, 
(without being thought for a moment to derrogate against 
the utility of a true scientific knowledge in all matters 
pertaining to the soil), that any common laborer, with or- 
dinary sagacity, and twelve months' practical working in 
a garden, would have a far better chance of success, other 
things being equal, than another without the practice, 
even if he had all the writings, from Liebig's down, at his 
fingers' ends. Not that a life long practice is absolutely 
necessary to success, for I can see, from where I write, the 
homes at least of half a dozen men, all now well to do in 
the world, not one of whom had any knowledge of gar^ 



MEN FITTED FOR THE BUSINESS. 11 

dening, either practical or theoretical, when they started 
the business ; but they were all active working men, " ac- 
tual settlers," and depended alone on their own heads and 
hands for success, and not on the doubtful judgment and 
industry of a hired gardener, who had no farther interest 
in the work than his monthly salary. 

The business of market gardening, though pleasant, 
healthful, and profitable, is a laborious one, from which 
any one, not accustomed to manual labor, would quickly 
shrink. The labor is not what may be termed heavy, but 
the hours are long ; not less than an average of 12 hours 
a day, winter and summer. No one should begin it after 
passing the meridian of life ; neither is it fitted for men of 
weak or feeble physical organization, for it is emphatically 
a business in which one has to rough it ; in summer plant- 
ing, when it is of the utmost importance to get the plants 
in when raining, we repeatedly work for hours in drench- 
ing rains, and woe be to the "boss," or foreman, who 
would superintend the operation under the protection of 
an umbrella ; he must take his chances with the rank and 
file, or his prestige, as a commander, is gone. 



CHAPTER II 

THE AMOUNT OF CAPITAL REQUIRED, AND 
WORKING FORCE PER ACRE. 



The small amount of capital required to begin farming 
operations, creates great misconception of what is neces- 
sary for commercial gardening; for, judging from the 
small number of acres wanted for commencing a garden, 
many suppose that a few hundred dollars is all sufficient 
for a market gardener. For want of information on this 
subject, hundreds have failed, after years of toil and priva- 
tion. At present prices, (1866), no one would be safe to 
start the business of vegetable market gardening, in the 
manner it is carried on in the neighborhood of New York, 
with a capital of less than $300 per acre, for anything less 
than ten acres ; if on a larger scale, it might not require 
quite so much. The first season rarely pays more than 
current expenses, and the cajDital of $300 per acre is all 
absorbed in horses, wagons, glass, manures, etc. If the 
capital be insufficient to procure these properly, the 
cliance of success is correspondingly diminished. 

I can call to mind at least a dozen cases that have occur- 
12 



AMOUNT OF CAPITAL REQUIKED. K^ 

Ft, 1 in my immediate neighborhood within the last five 
ye^irs, where steady industrious men have utterly failed, 
and lost every dollar they possessed, merely by attempt- 
ing the business with insufficient capital. A few years 
ago, a man called upon me and stated that he was about 
to become my neighbor, that he had leased a place of 
twenty acres alongside of mine for ten years, for $600 per 
year, for the purpose of growing vegetables, and asked 
me what I thought of his bargain. I replied that the 
place was cheap enough, only I was afraid he had got too 
much land for that purpose, if he attempted the working 
of it all. I further asked him what amount of capital he 
had, and he told me that he had about $1000. I said that 
I was sorry to discourage hun, but that it was better for 
him to know that the amount was entirely unadequate to 
begin with, and that there was not one chance in fifty that 
he would succeed, and that it would be better, even then, 
to relinquish the attempt ; but he had paid $150 for a 
quarter's rent in advance, and could not be persuaded from 
making the attempt. The result was as I expected; he be- 
gan operations in March, his little capital was almost swal- 
lowed up in the first two months, and the few crops he had 
put in were so inferior, that they were hardly worth send- 
ing to market. Without money to pay for help, his place 
got enveloped in weeds, and by September of the same 
year, he abandoned the undertaking. 

Had the same amount of capital and the same energy 
been expended on three or four acres, there is hardly a 
doubt that success would have followed. Those who wish 
to live by gardening, cannot be too often told the danger 
of spreading over too large an area, more particularly in 



1 i GARPENTXG FOR PROFIT. 

starting. With a small capital, two or three acres may 
be profitably worked ; while if ten or twelve were at- 
tempted with the same amount, it would most likely re- 
sult in failure. Many would suppose, that if three acres 
could be leased for $100 per year, that twenty acres would 
be cheaper at $500 ; nothing can be more erroneous, un- 
less the enterprise be backed up^ with the necessary capi- 
tal — $300 per acre. For be it known, that the rental or 
interest on the ground used for gardening operations is 
usually only about 10 per cent, of the working expenses, 
so that an apparently cheap rent, or cheap purchase, does 
not very materially affect the result. It is very different 
from farming operations, where often the rent or interest 
on purchase money amounts to nearly half the expenses. 

The number of men employed throughout the year on 
a market garden of ten acres, within three miles of mar- 
ket, planted in close crop, averages seven ; this number is 
varied in proportion, somewhat, according to the quantity 
of glass in use. I have generally employed more than 
that ; fully a man to an acre, but that was in consequence 
of having in use more than the ordinary proportion of 
sashes. This may seem to many an unnecessary force for 
such a small area ; but all our experience proves, that any 
attempt to work with less, will be unprofitable. What 
with the large quantity of manure indispensable, 75 tons 
per acre ; the close planting of the crops, so that every 
foot will tell ; the immense handling preparatory for mar- 
ket, to be done on a double crop each season, one market- 
ed in mid-summer, another in fall and winter, a large and 
continued amount of labor is required. On lands within 
a short distance of market — say two miles — two horses 



AMOUNT OF CAPITAL REQUIRED. 15 

are sufficient ; but when double that distance, three are 
necessary. "When three animals are required, it is most 
profitable to use a team of mules to do the plowing and 
heavy hauling of manure, etc., and do the marketing by a 
strong active horse. Every operation in cultivating the 
ground is done by horse labor, whenever practicable to do 
so ; but it must be remembered that the crops of a garden 
are very different from those of a farm ; the land is in 
most cases (particularly for the first crops) planted so 
close, that nothing will do to work with but the hoe. 



^" 



CHAPTER in. 

PROFITS OF MARKET GARDENING. 



This is rather a difficult if not a delicate matter to touch, 
as the profits are so large, in some instances, as almost to 
exceed belief, and so trifling, under other conditions, as 
hardly to be worth naming. These latter conditions, how- 
ever, are generally where men have started on unsuitable 
soils, too far from market, or without money enough to 
have ever got thoroughly under way. But as the object 
of this work is to endeavor to show how the business can 
be made a profitable one, I will endeavor to approximate 
to ouvt^veraffe profits per acre. As a rule, it may be 
premisea that for every additional acre over ten, the prof- 
its per acre will to some extent diminish, from the fact 
that a larger area cannot be so thoroughly worked as a 
smaller one ; besides there will often be a loss in price by 
having to crowd larger quantities of produce into market, 
and to leave it in the hands of inexperienced salesmen • 
the majority of our products are quickly perishable, ant 
must be sold when ready. 

The average profits for the past fifteen years on all well 

cultivated market gardens in this vicinity, has certainly 

not been less than $300 per acre. For the past five years, 

(from 1861 to 1866), they have been perhaps one-third 

16 



PROFITS OF MARKET GARDEl^nCNG. 'IT 

more ; but these were years of '' war prices," such as we 
^vill be well content never to see again. These profits are 
for the products of the open gardens only, not of the 
frames or forcing pits, which are alluded to elsewhere. 
These amounts are for the neighborhood of New York, 
which I think, from the vast competition in business, is 
likely to be a low average for the majority of towns and 
cities throughout the country. Certain it is, that from 
our lands, even at a value of from $1000 to $5000 per acre, 
we can and do profitably grow and supply the majority 
of towns within fifty miles around New York with fresh 
vegetables. In these cases, no doubt, the consumer pays 
full double the price that the raiser receives, for they 
generally pass through the hands of two classes of " mid- 
dle-men," before they reach the consumer ; besides which 
there are extra charges for packing, shipping, and freight. 
Thus the consumer, in a country town, where land often 
is not as much in value per acre as it is here per lot, 
pays twice the value for his partially stale vegetdfces or 
fruits, which he receives rarely sooner than twenty-four 
hours after they are gathered. .^ 

In most of such towns, market gardening, carried on 
after our manner, would, unquestionably, be highly remu- 
nerative ; for if these articles were ofiered to the consumer 
fresh from the gardens, he would certainly be willing to 
pay more for his home-grown products, than from the brui*?- 
ed and battered ones that are freighted from the metropo- 
lis. Take for example the article of Celery, which pays us 
very well at 2 cents per root. There is hardly a city or 
town in the country, except New York, but where it sells 
for twice, and in some cases six times, that price per root ; 



18 • GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

yet the great bulk of this article sold in Philadelphia, is 
sent from New York, for which the consumer must pay at 
least double the price paid here, for it is a bulky and ex- 
pensive article to pack and ship, and must of a necessity 
pay a profit, both to the agent here and in Philadelphia, 
which of course comes out of the pocket of the consumer. 
This is only one of many such articles of which the cul- 
ture is imperfectly understood, and which the great mar- 
ket of New York is looked to for a supply. 

The following will show the rate of receipts and ex- 
penditures for one acre of a few of the leading articles we 
cultivate, taking the average of the past ten years, from 
the grounds that have been brought up to the proper 
standard of fertility necp^ vary to the market garden. 

Expenditures for One Acre. 

Labor $300 

Horse-labor *S5 

Manure, 75 tons 100 

^^1^ 50 

S^; 10 

Wear and Tear of Tools, etc 10 

j^ , Cost of Selling 100 

$605 
Receipts for One Acre. 

12,000 Early Cabbages, at 5 cts. per bead $600 

14,000 Lettuce, at 1 cent per head 140 

30,000 Celery, at 2 cts. per head 600 

$1340 
605 

$735 

The rotation crops of Early Beets, or Onions, followed 

by Horseradish, or Sweet Herbs, as a second crop, give 

nearly the same results. 



CHAPTER TV. 

LOCATION, SITUATION, AND LAYING OUT. 



Location". — Before deciding on the spot for a garden, 
too much caution cannot be used in selecting the locality ; 
mistakes in this matter are often the sole cause of want 
of success, even when all other conditions are favorable. 
It is always better to pay a rent or interest of $50 or even 
$100 per acre on land one or two miles from mark et^th an 
to take the same quality of land, 6 or 7 miles di^^^for 
nothing ; for the extra expense of teaming, procurmg ma- *- 
nure, and often greater difficulty in obtaining labor, fark 
more than counterbalance the diJfference in the rental of the 
land. Another great object in being near the market is, 
that one can thereby take advantage of the condition of 
prices, which often, in perishable commodities like garden 
produce, is very variable. It not unfrequently happens that 
from scarcity or an unusual demand, there wiil be a differ- 
ence of $25 or $30 per load, even in one day, hence if near 
a market, larger quantities can be thrown in than if at a 
distance, and the advantage of higher rates be taken. 

This disadvantage in distance only holds good in perish- 
19 



GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



able articles, that are bulky; the lighter and valuable 
crops, such as Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Radishes, 
etc., from more southerly and earlier localities, are grown 
often hundreds of miles distant, and freighted to market 
at a handsome profit. So with less perishable articles, such 
as dry roots of Carrots, Beets, Parsnips, Horseradish, etc. ; 
but the necessity of nearness to market for the bulky and 
perishable crops, is imperative. 

SmjATiON AND Laying-out. — It is not always that 
choice can be made in the situation of or aspect of the 
ground ; but whenever it can be made, a level spot should 
be selected, but if there be any slope, let it be to the south. 
Shelter is of great importance in producing early crops, 
and if a position can be got where the wind is broken off 
by woods or hills, to the north, or northwest, such a situa- 
tion would be very desir- 
able. In the absence of 
this, we find it necessary 
to protect, at least our forc- 
ing and framing grounds, 
with high board fences, or 
better yet, belts of Norway 
Spruce. The most conve- 
nient shape of the garden 
is a square or oblong form ; 
if square, a road 12 feet 
wide should be made through the centre, intersected 
by another road of similar width, see (fig. 1) ; but if ob- 
long, one road of the same width, running through the 
centre in a plot of ten acres, will be sufficient. 

Vegetable House, Wells, etc. — Connected with ev- 




i:, \. — PLAN OF GROUND. 



21 



ery market garden is a vegetable house, usually about 25 
feet square, having a frost-proof cellar, over which is the 
vegetable or washing house. In the second story is a loft 
for seeds, storage, etc. Immediately outside the vegeta- 
ble house is the weU, from which the water is pumped to 
a tub in one corner of the building, on each side of which 
are erected benches of convenient hight on which the 
workmen tie and wash the vegetables preparatory to 
Bending them to market. 



^1, 



i^**- 



'>«. 



CHAPTER Y. 

SOILS, DRAINAGE, AND PREPARATION. 



* 



In the course of an experience of nearly 20 years as a 
market gardener, in the neighborhood of New York, I have 
had, in the prosecution of the business, the opportunity 
of reclaiming large tracts of very different varieties of soil. 
Some of these, almost the first season, yielded a liandsome 
pro^^vhile with others, the labor of years, and the ex- 
pen^^Be of large sums in extra manuring and draining, 
have never been able to bring these uncongenial soils up 
'to the proper standard of productiveness. 

The variety of soil that we value above all others, is an 
alluvial saline deposit, rarely found over more than a mile 
Inland from the tide mark. It is of dark heavy loam, con- 
taining, throughout, a large mixture of decomposing oyster 
and other shells ; it averages from 10 to 30 inches deep, 
overlaying a subsoil of yellow sandy loam. The next 
best variety is somewhat lighter soil, both in color and 
specific gravity, from 8 to 15 inches deep, having a similar 
subsoil to the above. Then we have a still lighter soil, in 
both senses of the term, in which the sand predominates 
22 



SOfLS, DRAINAGE, AND PREPARATION. 23 

over the loam, and laying on a subsoil of pure sand ; this 
variety of soil is well adapted for Melons, Cucumbers, 
Sweet Potatoes, Radishes, and Tomatoes, but is almost 
useless for growing crops of Onions, Cabbages, or Celery. 
We have still another kind of soil, which I place last, as 
being of the least value for the purpose of growing vege- 
tables; this variety, singularly enough, is found on the 
highest points only, its color is somewhat lighter than the 
variety first mentioned ; it is what is termed a clayey loam, 
averaging ten inches in depth, under which is a thick stra- 
tum of stiff bluish clay. With a subsoil of this nature, it 
is almost useless to attempt to grow early vegetables for 
market purposes. 

I have just such a soil, as the last mentioned, thoroughly 
drained three feet deep, the drains only 18 feet apart, and 
yet, in another garden, that I work, having the two first 
named soils and only one mile distant, manured and culti- 
vated the same in all respects, fruits and vegetables are 
ready from 5 to 10 days earlier. But for the suc^Sfeion, 
or second crops, such as Celery, etc., this stiff cold soil 
is just what is wanted ; earliness with these is not the ob- 
ject, and its " coldness " is congenial to the roots of the 
late crop. But if selection can be made for general pur- 
poses, choose a rather dark-colored loam soil, neither 
"sandy" nor "clayey," as deep as can be found, but not 
less than 12 inches. If it overlay a sandy loam of yellow- 
ish color, through which water will pass freely, you have 
struck the right spot, and abundant crops can be raised 
under proper management. When selecting land, do not 
be deceived by any one who tells you, that if not natur- 
ally good, the soil may be made so by cultivation and 



24 GARDEOTNG FOR PROFrT. 

manure. These will help, certainly, but only as education 
improves the shallow mind. Luxuriant crops can no more 
be expected from a thin and poor soil — no matter how 
much it is cultivated — than fertile ideas from a shallow 
brain, educate it as you will. 

Drainage. — ^Every operator in the soil concedes the 
importance of drainage, yet it is really astonishing to ob* 
serve how men will work wet lands year after year, wast- 
ing annually, by loss of crops, twice the amount required 
to thoroughly drain. A most industrious German, in this 
vicinity, cultivated about 8 acres for 3 years, barely mak- 
ing a living ; his soil was an excellent loam, but two-thirds 
of it was so " spongy," that he could never get it plowed 
until all his neighbors had their crops planted. Driving 
past one day, I hailed him, asking him why he was so late 
in getting in his crop, when he explained that if he had 
begun sooner, his horses would have "bogged" so, he 
might never have got them out again. I suggested drain- 
ing, but he replied that would never pay on a leased place ; 
he had started on a ten years lease, which had only 7 
years more to run, and that he would only being improv- 
ing it for his landlord, who would allow him nothing for 
such improvement. After some further conversation I 
asked him to jump into my wagon, and in 10 minutes we 
alighted at a market garden, that had 6 years before been 
just such a swamp hole as his own, but now, (the middle 
of May), was luxuriant with vegetation. I explained to 
him what its former condition had been, and that the in- 
vesting of $500, in drain tiles, would, in 12 months, put his 
in the same condition. He, being a shrewd man, acted on 
the advice, and at the termination of his lease, purchased 



SOILS, DRAINAGE, AND PREPARATION. 25 

and paid for his 8 acres $12,000, the savings of six years 
on his drained garden. I honestly believe, that, had he 
gone on without draining, he would not have made $1200 
in 12 years, far less $12,000 in 6 years. My friend esti- 
mates his whole success in life to our accidental meeting 
and conversation that May morning, and consequently 

1 have no stauncher friend on earth than he. 

The modes of draining must be guided to a great ex- 
tent by circumstances ; wherever stones are abundant on 
land, the most economical way to dispose of them, is to 
use them for drainage. I have also used with great suc- 
cess, in a wet sandy subsoil, where digging was easily 
done, brush, from adjacent woods cut off, and trod firmly 

2 feet deep in the bottom of drains 5 feet deep, overlaying 
the brush with straw or meadow hay before covering in. 
Drains so made, have answered well for nearly a dozen 
years, and in situations where no other material offers, 
they will at least answer a temporary purpose. But un- 
questionably, when at all attainable, at anything like 
reasonable cost, the cheapest and most thorough draining 
is by tile. We use here the ordinary horse-shoe tile ; 3- 
inch size for the laterals, and from 5 to 6 inch for the 
mains. On stiff clayey soils, we make our lateral drains 

3 feet deep, and from 15 to 18 feet apart ; on soils with 
less compact subsoils, from 20 to 25 feet distant. We find 
it cheaper to use the horse-shoe than the sole tile ; in lieu 
of the sole we cut common hemlock boards in 4 pieces ; 
that is, cut them through the middle, and split these again, 
making a board, thus cut, run about 50 feet ; these are 
placed in the bottom of the drains, and prevent the sag- 
ging of the tiles in any particular spot that might be soft, 



26 



GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



(fig. 2). We are particularly careful to place, after set- 
ting, a piece of sod, grass down, over the joinings of the 




Fig. 2. — HOUSE- SHOE TILE. 

tiles, to prevent^ the soil from getting in and stopping up 
the drainage. 

The manner of constructing stone drains, is governed 
by the character of the stone on hand ; if round, they are 
best made as rubble drains, (fig. 3) ; but if flat, which is 
much the best, they are made as represented by fig. 4. 





Fig. 3. — RUBBLE DRAIN, 



Fiff. 4. — FLAT STONE DRAIN. 



But in either case, the same care must be exercised in cov- 
ering over the top, thoroughly, with sod, shavings, straw, 
or some similar material, in quantity sufficient to prevent 
the soil from washing in and filling up the cavity. 

Preparation of the Ground. — Assuming that the 
ground on which the garden is to be formed is in sod, the 



SOILS, DEAINAGE, AND PREPARATION. 2? 

best time to begin operations is in September, October, or 
November. If draining is necessary, that should be first 
completed. Before the sod is plowed, it would greatly 
assist its rotting, if horse manure can be obtained, to spread 
it over the surface, to the depth of two or three inches. In 
plowing the sod under, care should be taken to have it laid 
as flat as possible ; this can be best done by plowing shal- 
low, and at this time there is no particular necessity for 
deep plowing. After plowing, we find it advantageous to 
flatten down the furrows, by running over with the back 
of the harrow ; this mellows the soil so that it fills up the 
crevices left between the furrows, and hastens the de- 
composition of the sod. If the plowing has been done 
early enough in the fall, so that the sod has had time to 
rot the same season, it will facilitate the operations of 
next spring to cross plow and thoroughly harrow ; but if 
too late, this had better be deferred until spring. After 
the ground has been well broken up by this second plow- 
ing and harrowing, it should again be manured over the 
whole surface with rough stable manure, as much as can 
well be procured ; there is rarely danger of getting too 
much, and the third plowing takes place, followed this 
time by the subsoiler. I ha^e always found it best, in 
breaking in new ground, to crop with Potatoes, Corn, or 
late Cabbages the first season, — ^it rarely indeed happens 
that any amount of labor or manuring can so prepare the 
ground, the first season, as to bring it to that high degree 
of tilth necessary for growing garden vegetables as the^ 
should be grown, and any attempt to do so, will result in 
a meagre crop, which will not pay — at least in such dis 
tricts as New York, where there is always abundance ol 



28 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

products of the first quality. It must not be expected 
that the crops of Potatoes, etc., will give much profit 
for this unusual outlay in preparation and manure, for 
they certainly will not, and the beginner must be content 
to wait for his profits until the second season ; these are 
certain to be realized if these preparations have been prop- 
erly made, hence it will be seen the necessity for capital in 
this business, for the returns, though highly remunerative, 
are not quick. 



CHAPTER Yl. 

MANURES. 



The quantity, quality, and proper application of ma- 
nures, is of the utmost importance in all gardening opera- 
tions, and few have any conception of the immense quantity 
necessary to produce the heavy crops seen in our market 
gardens. Of stable or barn-yard manure, from 50 to 100 
tons per acre is used, and prepared, for at least six months 
previously, by thorough turning and breaking up to pre- 
vent its heating unduly. The usual method is to have the 
manure-yard formed in a low part of the garden, but if 
there is no natural depression, one may be made by dig- 
ging out from 18 to 24 inches deep, and enclosing it by a 
fence about 6 feet in hight. The wagons are driven along- 
side, and the green manure thrown into the enclosure, 
care being taken to have it spread regularly ; hogs are 
usually kept upon the manure in numbers sufficient to 
break it up, they being fed in part by the refuse vege- 
tables and weeds of the garden. 

The manure of horses is most valued, as we consider it, 
weight for weight, of about one-third more value than that 
of cows or hogs ; on stiff soils it is of much more benefit 
29 



30 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

as a pulverizer. There are many articles, the refuse of 
manufactures, that are still wasted, that have great value 
as manures. Among others, and of first importance, is 
the refuse hops from the breweries. It is a dozen years 
ago since they first began to be used in our gardens about 
New York; at first they were to be had ahnost at 
every brewery without cost, but the demand has so in- 
creased, that the price to-day ranges even higher than that 
of the best stable manure. Aside from its high fertilizing 
properties, it is excellent for breaking up and pulverizing 
the soil, and as a top-dressing or mulching, either to pro- 
tect from the sun in summer, or from the frost in winter, 
it has no equal. From my experience with this fertilizer, 
I consider it to be of nearly double the value of that of 
stable manure. It requires to be composted in the same 
manner as other manure ; it heats rapidly, and must be 
either spread regularly over the hog yard, or else turned 
once in two weeks to prevent " fire-fang," from violent 
heating. 

Another valuable refuse from our manufactories is the 
shavings and scrapings from horn, or whale-bone manu- 
factories. The best way to render these most available, 
is to compost them thoroughly with hot manure, in the 
proportion of one ton of shavings to fifteen of manure ; 
the heated manure extracts the oil from the shavings, 
which is intermingled with the whole. I have on several 
occasions seen the mixture of five tons of whale-bone 
shavings with our ordinary stable manure, make $400 per 
acre difference in the value of the crop ; but of course 
such manufactories are not common, and it is only in cer- 
tain localities that this fertilizer can be had. 



MANURES. 81 

Attother valuable fertilizer from manufactories is " sugar 
house scum," which is composed largely of Dlood, char- 
coal, and saccharine refuse ; as it heats violently, instead 
of being thrown in heaps by itself, it should be composted 
with equal quantities of soil or muck, and turned frequent- 
ly, so that the whole is thoroughly mixed ; thus when 
composted, it makes an excellent manure at twenty tons 
per acre ; it is best applied by lightly plowing, or deeply 
harro wing-in. 

Of concentrated manures, perhaps the best for general 
purposes, is pure Peruvian guano ; this for general crops, 
when used without the addition of stable manures, is put 
on at the rate of from 1000 to 1200 pounds per acre ; it is 
first pounded to powder so that it can be regularly sown 
over the surface, after plowing ; it is then thoroughly har- 
rowed in, and the crop is sown or planted at once. In my 
experience, the next best concentrated fertilizer is bone- 
dust, or flour of bone ; in experiments last season, with 
our crops of cauliflower and cabbage, we applied it in 
the same manner as guano, but at the rate of nearly 2000 
pounds per acre, and it gave most satisfactory results, sur- 
passing those of guano, where that had been used at the rate 
of 1200 pounds per acre. In applying manures to the 
soil, we have long ago discovered the great importance of 
an alternation of diflerent kinds ; when I first began busi- 
ness as a market gardener, I had opportunities of getting 
large quantities of night soil from the scavengers of Jersey 
City ; this was mixed with stable manure, charcoal, saw- 
dust, or any other absorbent most convenient, and applied 
so mixed at the rate of about 30 tons per acre. The 
crops raised with this manure were enormous, for two or 



3» GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

three years, but it gradually began to lose effect, and in 
five years from the time we began to use it, it required 
nearly double the weight of this compost to produce even 
an average crop. I then abandoned the use of night soil 
and applied refuse hops instead, at the rate of about 60 
tons per acre, with marked improvement ; but this was 
for the first and second years otlly, the third year showing 
a falling off. About this time our prejudices against the 
use of concentrated manures for market gardening began 
to give way, and at first we applied guano together with 
manure at the rate of 300 pounds per acre, which we 
found to pay; and the next season, guano was used at the 
rate of 1200 lbs. per acre, with very satisfactory results. 
Since then, our practice has been a systematic alternation 
of manures, which I am convinced is of quite as much 
importance to the production of uniform crops of first 
quality, as is the alternation of varieties of the different 
kinds of vegetables. 

It is a grave blunder to attempt to grow vegetable 
crops, without the use of manures of the various kinds in 
about the proportions I have named. I never yet saw soil 
of any kind that had borne a crop of vegetables that 
would produce as good a crop the next season without the 
use of manure, no matter how " rich " the soil may be 
thought to be. An illustration of this came under my 
observation last season. One of my neighbors, a market 
gardener of nearly twenty years' experience, and whose 
grounds have always been a perfect model of productive- 
ness, had it in prospect to run a sixty-foot street through 
his grounds ; thinking his land sufiiciently rich to carry 
through a crop of Cabbages, without manure, he thought 



MANURES. 33 

it useless to waste money by using guano on that portion 
on which the street was to be, but on each side sowed 
guano at the rate of 1200 pounds per acre, and planted 
the whole with Early Cabbages. The effect was the most 
marked I ever saw ; that portion on which the guano had 
been used sold off readily at $12 per hundred, or about 
$1400 per acre, both price and crop being more than an 
average ; but the portion from which the guano had been 
withheld, hardly averaged $3 per 100. The street occu- 
pied fully an acre of ground, so that my friend actually lost 
over $1000 in crop, by withholding $60 for manure. An- 
other neighbor, whose lease had only one year to run, and 
who also unwisely concluded that it would be foolish to 
waste manure on his last crop, planted and sowed all with- 
out it ; the result was, as his experience should have taught 
him, a crop of inferior quality in every article grown, and 
loss on his eight acres of probably $2000 for that season. 



CHAPTER VIL 

IMPLEMENTS. 



The most important implements in use in the vegetable 
garden are the plow and harrow, which should be always 
used, to the exclusion of the spade or digging fork, when- 
ever it is practicable to do so. ^ No digging, in the ordi- 



Fig. 5.— Allen's cylinder plow. 

nary way, can pulverize the soil so thoroughly as can be 
done by the plow and harrow, nor no trenching much sur- 
pass in its results that done by thorough subsoiling. Fig. 
5 represents the plow in use by the market gardeners, and 
34 



IMPLEMENTS. 



35 



known as Allen's Patent Cylinder Plow. So superior are 
the pulverizing powers of this plow to those of the 
spade, that no market gardener here, of any experience, 
would allow his grounds to be dug, even if it were done 
so free of cost. 

Fig. 6 represents the Lifting Subsoil Plow, it is strongly 
made, of steel, and follows in the wake of the surface plow, 




Fig. 6. — LIFTING SUBSOIL PLOW. 

lifting and breaking (but not turning) the subsoil to the 
depth of 6 or 12 inches, as may be desired. On very stiff 
soils we use the subsoiler once in two years ; on lighter 
soils not so often, although if time wouldy&lways permit 
there is no doubt but that it would be beneficial to use it 
whenever plowing is done. 

The harrow in use is rather peculiarnn style, but is best 

^^ suited for garden work ; 
i^^ it contains some forty 
^K "- teeth about 10 inches 
ia^^ E" long ; these are driven 
through the wood-work, 
leaving 5 or 6 inches 
of the sharpened end 
on the one side and from 1^ to 2 inches of the blunt end 
on the other, as shown in fig. 7. After the ground has 




Fig. 7. — GARDEN HARROW. 



36 



GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



been thoroughly pulverized by the teeth of the harrow, it 
is turned upside down, and "backed," as we term it; the 
short blunt teeth further breaking up the soil and smooth- 
ing it to a proper condition to receive the seeds or plants. 
But there are many spots in the gap 
Wl^^^^^ den that it is impracticable to plow, 
such as our frames, borders, and. oc- 
casionally between rows where the 
space is too narrow 
for a horse to walk ; 
such places must 
be dug, and here 
we use the Dig- 
ging Fork, repre- 
sented by fig. 8, in 
preference to the 
spade. Its prongs 
enter the soil more 
easily than the 
blade of the spade, 
Fi-. a-Dm^NG FORK, and by striking the 
soil turned over, with the back of the 
fork, it pulverizes it better than can 
be done by the blade of the spade. 
Still there are many operations in the 
garden, such as the digging up of 
l-oots, earthing up of Celery, etc., for which the spade is 
ipdispensable. For such purposes, the one represented 
by fig. 9, and known as " Ames' No. 2, Plain-back," we 
find the best. 





Fig. 9.— AMES' No. 2 

SPADE. 



IMPLEMENTS. 



87 



For stirring between narrow rows of Cabbage, Celery, 
etc., we use a small one-borse plow before using the culti- 
vator; this is represented by fig. 10, and is known as the 
Skeleton Plow. Following this is our main implement 




Fiij;-. 10. — SKELETON PLOW. 

for cultivating between rows, which is simply a triangu- 
lar adjustable Harrow, represented by fig. 11. This 
implement we prefer to any variety of cultivators we 
have ever used, on ground where there are no weeds, 

(and weeds are rarely al- 
lowed to grow in our 
market gardens), as its 
teeth sink from three to 
^ four inches deep if kept 
sharpened ; when extra 
Fiii. 11.— CULTIVATOR. dcpth Is wautcd, a weight 

is put on to sink it deeper. In all hoeing operations by 
hand, the steel pronged Hoe, fig. 12, is used in prefer- 
ence to the old-fashioned blade hoe; yet, superior as 
this implement is to the blade hoe, it is not more than 




38 



GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 




-PKONGED HOE. 



>^ 



six years ago since it came into general use. A man can 

do full one-third more work with it, 

do it better, and with greater ease, 

than with the blade hoe ; true, it is 

not so good in cutting over weed?, 

but weeds should never be seen in 

a garden, for whether for pleasure or 

profit,^ it is short-sighted economy to 

delay the destruction of weeds until 

they start to grow. One man will hoe 

over, in one day, more ground where ^^=- ^^ 

the weeds are just breaking 
through, than six will, if they 
be allowed to grow six or eight 
inches in hight, to say noth- 
ing of the injury done to the 
ground by feeding the weeds in- 
stead of the planted crops. An- 
other benefit of this early extir- 
pation of weeds is, that taken 
in this stage, they of course nev- 
er seed, and in a few years they 
are almost entirely destroyed, 
making the clearing a much sim- 
pler task each succeeding year. 
Another tool used in place of 
the hoe, is the steel Rake, fig. 13, 
which we use in various sizes. 
Fig. 13.— STEEL KAKE. ffom 8 luchcs to 20 inches in 

width. Nearly all our first " hoeing " is done with these ; 

that is, the ground is raked over and levelled in from two 




IMPLEMENTS. 



39 



to three days after planting ; this destroys the germs of the 
"weeds ; in from five to ten days, according to the state of 
the weather, the ground is again gone 
over with the rakes. We are no believ- 
ers in deep hoeing on newly planted or 
sown crops, it is only when plants begin 
to grow that deep hoeing is beneficial. 
For using between narrow rows of 
crops, just starting from the ground, 
the push or Scuflle Hoe, (fig. 14), is a 
most effective tool ; we use them from 6 
to 12 inches wide; they require to be 
always about 3 inches narrower than 
the rows ; thus, in rows 9 inches apart, 
we use the 6-inch hoe. 

The Clod Crusher, fig. 15, an imple- 
ment much used in England, is of great 
value in pulverizing the surface of 
rough heavy soils, following after the 

Pig. 14.— SCUFFLE , ..,.11 1 . 

HOE. harrow; on light soils, that pulverize 

sufficiently with the harrow, it is not necessary. 





Fig. 15.— CLOD CKUSHER. 



40 



GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 




Another indispensable implement is the Roller, fig. 16 ; 
it is of great importance not only in breaking lumpy soil, 
but in firming it properly around newly sown seeds, be- 
sides, the ground leveled by the roller is much easier hoed 
than if the surface were uneven or irregular. The roller 

we use is made of hard 
wood, and is 5 or 6 feet 
long, and 9 inches in diam- 
eter. The roller is bored 
though its whole length, 
and through this hole is put 
a bar of 2-inch round iron. 
Fig. 16.— GARDEN ROLLER. Thls bar gives the neces- 

sary weight, and its projecting ends afford points to 
which to attach the handle. 

The Double Marker, fig. 17, is used to mark 6 or 8 lines 
at once, as may be required ; the spaces between the teetl^ 
being 12 inches on one 
side, and 9 inches on 
the other. Where rows 
are . required only of 
these widths, every row 
is of course planted ^ 
but many of our crops re- 
quire wider rows, thus, ^^*^- 1^.— double marker. 
with the 12-inch marker, we plant our early Cabbages at 
24 inches apart, the intervening rows being planted with 
Lettuce at the same time ; or with the narrow side of 
the marker, every row, 9 inches apart, is planted with 
Onion sets, or in such a crop as Beets, every alternate 
row only is used, making the rows 18 inches apart. The 




IMPLEMENTS. 



41 



manner of using the marker will readily suggest itself. 
A line being stretched tightly to the required length, the 
outer tooth is set against it and steadily drawn to the end, 
returning, the outer row forms the guide for the marker, 
and so on until finished. The marker is usually a home- 
made implement, of Avood, but it answers rather better to 
have the teeth made of iron, scooped, something like a 
common garden trowel. 

The Market Wagon (figure 18) is made after various 
patterns in different sections of the country ; that shown 




Fig. 18.— MARKET WAGON. 

in the cut is the kind used by us, and is usually drawn 
by one horse, it is strongly made, weighing about 1400 
pounds, and is capable of carrying from 2000 to 3000 
pounds. 

The Seed Drill, fig. 19, next i)age, is used in sowing large 
field crops of Onions, Carrots, Turnips, etc., and can be 
adjusted to suit all sizes of seeds. It is, however, more 
an implement of the farm than the garden, and rarely 
used in small market gardens, most cultivators deem. 
ing it safer to sow by hand. Sowing by hand requires 
more than twice the quantity of seed than when sown by 
the drill, but the crops of our market gardens are too im- 
portant to run any risk from such small considerations of 



42 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

economy. The greater risk in thinly sown crops being 
from destruction by insects, frost, or the thin sowing not 




Fig. 19. — WETHERSFIELD SEED DRILL. 

having strength enough to force through the soil in dry 

weather. 

The Dibber, fig. 20, is a very simple but indispensable 
tool. It is of importance to have it made in the 
manner rejDresented here ; it can be formed from 
a crooked piece of any hard wood, and shod 
with a sharp iron point, which gives weight to 
it, besides it always keeps sharp. Dibbers are 
too often made from an old spade or shovel 
handle, when they are awkward and unhandy 
affairs. 

Fi.r. 20.— Planting is an operation that often requires 
DiBBEii. tlie most rapid movement to get a crop in at the 

proper time, and the best appliances in working are not to 

be disregarded. With a dibber of this style, an ex- 




IMPLEMENTS. 43 

perienced planter, with a boy to drop the plants, as we 
invariably practise, will plant from 6000 to 10,000 plants 
per day, according to the kind of plant or condition of 
the ground. I have on many occasions planted, in one 
day, three acres of Celery, holding about 90,000 plants, 
with ten men, each of whom had a boy, from ten to four- 
teen years of age, to drop the plants down before him. 
This plan of using boys is not generally adopted, but I 
have repeatedly proved that, by thus dividing the labor, 
a boy and a man will do more planting than two men 
would if planting singly, and each carrying his own plants. 



CHAPTER Yin. 

THE USES AND MANAGEMENT OF COLD 
FRAMES. 



We use cold frames for preserving Cauliflower, Cal> 
bage and Lettuce plants during the winter, and the for- 
warding of Lettuce and Cucumbers in spring and summer. 

To make the matter as clear as possible, we will suppose 
that the market gardener, having five or six acres of land, 
has provided himself with 100 of 3 x 6 feet sashes. The 
Cauliflower, Cabbage, or Lettuce plants, which they are 
intended to cover in winter, should be sown in the open 
garden from the 10th to the 20th of September, and when 
of sufiicient size, which they will be in about a month from 
the time of sowing, they must be replanted in the boxes 
or frames, to be covered by the sashes as winter advances. 

The boxes or frames we use, are simply two boards, run- 
ning parallel, and nailed to posts to secure them in line. 
The one for the back is ten or twelve inches wide, and 
that for the front seven or eight inches, to give the sashes, 
when placed upon them, pitch enough to carry ofi* rain, 
and to better catch the sun's rays. The length of the 
44 



USES AND MANAGEMENT OF COLD FRAMES. 45 

frame or box may be regulated by the position in which 
it is placed ; a convenient length is fifty or sixty feet, re- 
quiring eighteen or twenty sashes. 

Shelter from the north-west is of great importance, and 
if the ground is not sheltered naturally, a board fence six 
feet in hight is almost indispensable. The sashes should 
face south or south-east. Each sash will hold five hundred 
plants of Cabbage or Cauliflower, and about eight hun- 
dred of Lettuce. These numbers will determine the proper 
distance apart, for those who have not had experience. 
It should never be lost sight of, that these plants are al- 
most hardy, and consequently will stand severe freezing 
without injury ; but to insure this condition they must be 
treated as their nature demands; that is, that in cold 
weather, and even in clear winter days, when the thermom- 
eter marks 15 or 20 degrees in the shade, they must be 
abundantly aired, either by tilting up the sash at the back, 
or better still, when the day is mild, by stripping the sash 
clear off. By this hardening process, there is no necessity 
for any other covering but the sash. In our locality, we 
occasionally have the thermometer from 5^ to 10° below 
zero for a day or two together, yet in all our time we have 
never used mats, shutters, or any covering except the 
glass, and I do not think we lose more than two per cent, 
of our plants. Some may think that the raising of plants 
in this manner must involve considerable trouble, but when 
they are informed that the Cabbage and Lettuce plants so 
raised and planted out in March or April, not unfrequently 
bring a thousand dollars per acre before the middle of 
July, giving us time to follow up with Celery for a second 
crop, it will be seen that the practice is not unprofitable. 



46- GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

But we have not yet done with the use of the sashes ; 
to make them still available, spare boxes or frames must 
be made, in all respects similar to those in use for the Cab- 
bage plants. These frames should be covered up during 
winter with straw or leaves in depth sufficient to keep the 
ground from freezing, so that they may be got at and be 
in condition to be planted with Lettuce by the end of Feb- 
ruary, or the first of March. By this time the weather 
is always mild enough to allow the sashes to be taken off 
from the Cabbage and Lettuce plants, and they are now 
transferred to the spare frames to cover and forward the 
Lettuce. Under each sash we plant fifty Lettuce plants, 
having the ground first well enriched by digging in about 
three inches of well rotted manure. The management of 
the Lettuce for heading is in all respects similar to that 
used in preserving the plants in winter; the only thing to 
be attended to, being to give abundance of air, and -on the 
occasion of rain to remove the sashes entirely, so that the 
ground may receive a good soaking, which will tend to 
promote a more rapid and luxuriant growth. 

The crop is fit for market in about six weeks from time 
of planting, which is always two or three weeks sooner 
than that from the open ground. The average price for 
all planted is about $4 per hundred at wholesale, so that 
again, with little trouble, our crop gives us $2 per sash in 
eix weeks. 

I believe this second use of the sash is not practiced 
outside of this district, most gardeners having the opinion 
that the winter plants of Cauliflower, Cabbage, or Lettuce, 
would be iujured by their complete exposure to the 
weather at as early a date as the first of March. In fact. 



USES AND MANAGEMENT OF COLD FRAMES. 47 

here we have still a few old fogies among us, whose timid- 
ity or obstinacy in this matter prevents them from making 
this use of their sashes, which thereby causes them an an- 
nual loss of $2 per sash, and as some of them have over a 
thousand sashes, the loss is of some magnitude. 

In my own practice, I have made my sashes do double 
duty in this way for fifteen years ; the number when I 
first started being fifty, increasing to the present time, 
when I have in use fifteen hundred sashes. Yet in all that 
time I have only once got my plants (so exposed) injured, 
and then only a limited number, which I had neglected to 
suiBciently harden by airing. 

We have still another use of the sashes to detail. Our 
Lettuce being cut out by middle of May, we then plant 
five or six seeds of the Improved White Spine Cucumber, 
in the centre of each sash. At that season they come up 
at once, protected by the covering at night. The sashes 
are left on until the middle of June, when the crop begins 
to be sold. The management of the Cucumber crop, as 
regards airings is hardly different from that of the Lettuce, 
except in its early stage of growth it requires to be kept 
warmer ; being a tropical plant, it is very impatient of be- 
ing chilled, but in warm days airing should never be neg- 
lected, as the concentration of the sun's rays on the glass 
would raise the temperature to an extent to injure, if not 
entirely destroy the crop. This third use of the sashes I 
have never yet made so profitable as the second, although 
always sufficiently so to make it well worth the labor. 

There are a few men here who make a profitable busi- 
ness from the use of sashes only, having no ground except 
that occupied by the frames. In this way the winter crop 



48 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

of Cauliflower or Cabbage plants is sold at an average«»of 
$3 per sash, in March or April ; the Lettuce at $2 per sash 
in May, and the Cucumbers at $1 per sash in June, making 
an average of $6 per sash for the season ; and it must be 
remembered that these are wholesale prices, and that too, 
in the market of New York, where there is great compe- 
tition. There is no doubt, that in hundreds of cities and 
towns of the Union, the same use of sashes would double 
or treble these results. 

Cold frames are also used for sowing the seeds of Cab- 
bage, Cauliflower, and Lettuce, instead of hot-beds ; if 
the frames are closely shut up and covered at night by 
mats, the plants will be but little later than those from the 
hot-beds, and are raised with far less trouble. In sections 
of the country where these plants cannot be set out before 
May, it is useless to raise them in hot-beds. On the other 
hand, in the Southern States, where in the months of Feb- 
ruary and March there are no frosts, by adopting the same 
care in covering up at night, the seeds of Tomatoes, Pep- 
pers, and Egg plants, and the sprouts from Sweet Pota- 
toes, can be forwarded with much less trouble in the cold 
frames than in the hot-bed. 



CHAPTER IX. 

FORMATION AND MANAGEMENT OF 
HOT-BEDS, 



Although we do not consider hot-beds so convenient or 
even economical in the long run as the forcing houses, 
elsewhere described, yet, as beginners in the business are 
usually not over-supplied with means, and as hot-beds are 
to be had at much less first cost than the forcing houses, 
we give a description of their formation and management. 
The most convenient sash for the hot-bed is the 3x6 foot 
sash, made out of 1|- inch pine, costing here, at present 
prices, when painted and glazed, about $4 each. This is 
almost double the cost of what they were before the reign 
of high prices ; but as we get corresponding rates for the 
commodities raised under them, we must not complain. 

The frame for the hot-bed is usually made movable, in 
lengths which three sashes will cover, making, when com- 
plete, a box-like structure, 9 feet long, (the width of 3 
ashes, 3 feet wide), and 6 feet wide, (the length of the 
sashes) ; at the bottom or lower part, the plank should be 
15 or 18 inches high ; the back or top, 24 inches ; so that, 
3 49 



50 GARDENING FOE PROFIT. 

when the sashes are placed on, it will give them the neces- 
sary angle to receive the sun's rays and throw off the rain. 
The sashes should be made as tight fittmg as they will 
easily work, and the plank, forming the sides of the box, 
should be high enough to cover the thickness of the sash, 
n order to prevent the cold air from penetrating. This is 
one style of hot-bed frame, and the one most commonly 
used in private gardens; but in our market gardens, 
where a large surface is used, our necessities compel us to 
adopt a far more economical mode, both in the cost of the 
frame work and heating material. This is done somewhat 
after the manner adopted for Cold Frames. Parallel ex- 
cavations are made, usually in lengths of 60 feet, 2^ feet 
deep, and 6 feet wide ; the sides of these pits are boarded 
up with any rough boarding, nailed to posts, and raised 
above the surface 18 inches at the back, and 12 inches at 
front. Strips are stretched across, on which the sashes 
rest, wide enough to receive the edges of the two sashes 
where they meet, and allow of a piece of about an inch 
between them, so that the sash can be shoved backward 
and forward, and be kept in place in giving air, etc. 

The heating material is next in order ; this should be 
horse dung, fresh from the stables, added to which, when 
accessible, about one-half its bulk of leaves from the 
woods. The manure and leaves should be well mixed and 
trodden down in successive layers, forming a conical heap, 
large enough to generate fermentation in severe winter 
weather. Care must be taken that the material is not al- 
lowed to lie scattered and get frozen, else great delay will 
ensue before heat can be generated. A few days after the 
pile has been thrown together, and a lively fermentation 



FORMATION AND MANAGEMENT OF HOT-BEDS. 51 

has taken place, which will be indicated by the escape of 
steam from the heap, it should be again turned over and 
carefully shaken out, formed again into a pile, and left un- 
til the second fermentation occurs, which will be usually 
in two or three days. It may now be placed in the pit, 
being regularly beaten down by the back of the fork, and 
trodden so that it is uniformly of the same solidity, and to 
the required depth, 2| feet. The sashes are now placed 
on the frames, and kept close until the heat rises ; at this 
time a thermometer, plunged in the heating material, 
should indicate about 100 degrees, but this is too hot for 
almost any vegetable growth, and besides the rank steam 
given out by the fermentation, should be allowed to escape 
before operations of sowing or planting begin. New be- 
ginners are very apt to be impatient in the matter of hot- 
beds, and often lose the first crop by planting or sowing 
before the violent heat has subsided, which it generally 
will do in about three days, if the heating material has been 
sufficiently prepared. As soon as the thermometer in the 
frame recedes to 90, soil should be placed on, to the depth 
of 6 or 8 inches. This soil must be previously prepared, 
of one-third well rotted manure, (or, if procurable, rotted 
refuse hops, from breweries), and two-thirds good loam, 
spread regularly over the surface of the hot-bed. 

We use hot-beds for various purposes. One of the 
most important uses is the forcing of Lettuce ; this is 
planted in the hot-beds, (from plants grown in the cold 
frames), 50 under each sash, the first crop by 2nd week in 
January ; it is covered at night by straw mats, and is usu- 
ally marketable by the first of March. At that season Let- 
tuce is always scarce, and will average, if properly grown, 



52 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

$8 per 100, or $4 per sash. The crop is cut out by the 
first week in March, giving plenty time to plant the same 
hot-bed again with Lettuce ; but now it is no longer a hot- 
bed, for by this time the heat from the dung is exhausted, 
and it is treated exactly as described in the chapter on 
Cold Frames. 

Another use for the hot-bed is the raising of Tomato, 
and Egg, and Pepper plants. The bed should be prepared 
for these, not sooner than the 2nd week in March, and of 
temperature, about the same as before described. In sow- 
ing, it is well to cover the seed with some very light 
mold ; nothing is better than leaf mold and sand, pat- 
ting it gently with the back of the spade From the time 




Fig. 21. — WATERING POT. 

the seed is sown, attention to airing, during the hot part 
of the day, and covering up at night, is essential, and also 
that the soil be never allowed to get dry. The watering 
should be done with a very fine rose Watering Pot, (fig. 
21), and with tepid water. The temperature at night may 
range from 55 to 65®, and during the day from 70 to SO'^. 
As soon as the seedling plants are an inch or two high, 
which will be in 5 or 6 weeks, they must be taken up and 
re-planted in a more extensive hot-bed, for they now re- 
quire room. Tomatoes should be planted of a width to 
give 75 or 100 in each sash. Pepper and Egg Plants do 



FORMATION AND MANAGEMENT OF HOT-BEDS. 58 

better if planted in small flower pots, (3-inch), as they are 
more difficult to transplant ; they may now also be kept 
a little closer in the hot-bed than the Tomatoes, as they 
require more heat. After transplanting, great care is nec- 
essary that they always be immediately watered, and 
shaded from the sun until they have struck root, which 
will be in 2 or 3 days after transplanting. 

The hot-bed is also the medium for procuring us Cab- 
bage, Cauliflower, and Lettuce plants, for early outside 
planting, when not convenient to winter them over 
as described in the uses of cold frames. The seeds of 
these are sown about the last week in February, are treated 
in all respects, as regards covering up at night, as the To- 
matoes, etc. ; but being plants of greater hardiness, re- 
quire more air during the day. They will be fit to plant 
in the open garden by the middle of April. The beds 
they are taken from are usually employed for the re-plant- 
ing Tomatoes, which it is not safe to plant, in the open 
ground here, before the middle of May. 

Sweet Potato plants are almost universally raised in hot- 
beds, but as this is a plant that luxuriates in a high tem- 
perature, the hot-bed should not be formed to start them 
until the middle of April. The soil should be a mixture of 
sand and leaf mold, laid on of the usual thickness on the 
hot-bed, 6 inches. The tubers are placed closely together, 
and the same sandy compost sifted over them to the depth 
of two inches ; some split the large ones lengthwise, and 
place them flat side down ; they should not be watered 
until they start to grow. They are fit to plant out about 
rix weeks after starting. 

Two most essential points in working hot-beds are, in 



54 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

covering up at night, and in giving air during the day. 
It often happens that a few mild nights in March or April 
delude us into the belief that all the cold weather is over, 
and the covering up is in consequence either carelessly 
performed or abandoned. Every season shows us scores 
of victims to this mistake, who, by one cold night, lose 
the whole labors of the season. It is always safest to 
cover up tender plants, such as Tomatoes, Sweet Pota- 
toes, etc., until the 10th of May in this latitude, and the 
more hardy plants, such as Cabbage, to the 1st of April, 
when raised in hot-beds ; even if there is no danger from 
freezing, it will give a more uniform temperature, and con- 
sequently conduce to a more healthy growth. The want 
of close attention in airing is equally dangerous ; often an 
hour's delay in raising the sashes, will have the effect of 
scorching up the whole contents of the hot-bed, and ir- 
regularity of airing will always produce " drawn " and 
spindling plants, even when they are not entirely killed. 
The thermometer is the only safe guide, and should be 
regularly consulted, and whenever it indicates 75^, it is safe 
to admit less or more of the outer air, proportioned of 
course to the condition of the atmosphere ; if there be 
bright sunshine, and cold wind, very little will suflSce ; if 
calm, mild, and sunny, admit larger quantities. 

CoVERmGS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST FrOST. — ^To COVCr 

up hot-bed sashes, we use either light pine shutters or 
straw mats ; the shutters are made the exact size of the 
sash ; there is no necessity of their being more than half 
an inch in thickness, as that is quite as effective in keeping 
out the cold as two inches would be, and they are much 
cheaper and more convenient to handle. Straw Mats are, 



FORMATION AND MANAGEMENT OF HOT-BEDS. 



55 



however, by far the warmest covering, and in hot-bed cul- 
ture are almost indispensable. They are always made at 
home, during wet days or stormy weather in winter. The 
manner of making them is very simple, and will readily 
be learned at the first attempt. The "uprights," (or 
warps), are formed of five strands of a tarred string, 
known as " marline ; " these are tightly strained 10 inches 
apart, by being attached to five strong nails at bottom of 
a wall, corresponding with the same number 7 feet from 
the bottom. Against these strings (beginning at the bot- 
tom) are laid small handfuls of rye straw, the cut side 




Fig. 23.— MAKI>a A STRAW MAT. 

out, as loni^- and straight as can be procured ; this is se- 
cured to the uprights by a ligPiter kind of tarrea string, 
by taking a single turn around the upright and the straw, 
and so continued until the mat is finished. Some use a 
frame to which the strings, forming the warp, are attach- 
ed, as si) own in fig. 22. This allows the operator to have 
his work upright or horizontal, as may be most convenient. 
Two workmen will make about ^ve mats in a day. 



56 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

When finished, the mats should be 7 feet in length and 
4 1 feet in width, two being sufficient to cover three sash- 
es. The reason for having them made one foot longer 
than the sash is, that there may be 6 inches to overlap at 
top and bottom, which are the most necessary points to 
secure from frost. In making these mats they may be 
constructed of sedge from the marshes, or salt meadow 
hay, when rye straw cannot be procured. It is important, 
however, that they may be made as hght as possible, one 
inch in thickness being quite sufficient. By care in hand- 
ling them, these mats will last for six or eight years. 



CHAPTER X. 

FORCING PITS OR GREEN-HOUSES. 



Forcing pits and green-houses of the style about to be 
described, whenever the greater expense in their erection 
is not a consideration, are, in our experience, far superior, 
and in the course of five or six years, more economical for 
all purposes of forcing or forwarding vegetables, than the 
hot-bed or cold frame. Figure 23 represents the end sec- 
tion and ground plan of the style we have in use, and 
which may be adapted to any plant that requires artificial 
heat and protection of glass. The pits, represented by 
this- plan, are 100 feet in length, and each 11 feet wide in- 
side. The heating is accomplished by one of Hitching's 
Patent Boilers, ( (7), heating about 1200 feet of 4-inch pipe. 
The glass roof, (^), is formed of portable sashes, 6x3 feet ; 
each alternate sash is screwed down, the others beiag 
movable, so as to give abundance of air. The fixed roof 
plan of building green-houses or pits, is, in our climate, a 
great mistake, in my opinion, unless in large graperies 
or conservatories, where architectural beauty is of more 
consideration than the health of the plants. The mov- 
3* 57 



58 



GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 




Fig. 23. — END SECTION AND GROUND PLAN OF FORCING PITS HEATED 
BY WATER PIPES. 



FORCING PITS OR GREEN-HOUSES. 59 

able sash is elevated, to admit air, by an iron bar, 
15 inches long, attached to the sash by a staple; in- 
to this bar is punched three holes, so to regulate the 
admission of the an- as required. When the sash is 
shut down, the bar is hooked on to a pin which se^ 
cures it in place, so that the sash cannot be moved b^ 
wind. I am thus particular in describing what may seem 
a simple matter ; but this system of airing is not common, 
and we made some stupid blunders before we hit on our 
present plan, which is cheap, simple, and very effective. 
The movable sash is not hinged at the bottom, but is held 
in place by two small plates of iron screwed on the gutter 
plate. The ridge-poles are cut out of the shape shown 
at J", and the sashes lie on the shoulder. The interior 
arrangement of the pits will be easily understood by the 
end section. G^ shows the bench or table as it is complet- 
ed; this shows the boxing-in of the pipes, (J9), to give 
" bottom heat " to the cuttings, seeds, or plants, that are 
placed on the bench, but on the sides of the bench, along 
the walk, one plank is hinged throughout the house, so 
that it may be let down when required, and permit the es- 
cape of heat into the pit. The walks through the house, 
(jZT), are 2 feet wide. A brick shed, (^), covers the 
boiler pit, (F)^ and is attached to the north end of the 
pits. Besides '^Breaking the wind at this vulnerable point, 
we find this shed a most excellent place for many purposes, 
as it is kept from freezing by the heat that escapes from 
the boiler pit, which would otherwise be lost. This heat 
may be rendered to a very profitable account in forcing 
Mushrooms or Rhubarb, if desired for that purpose. 
The system of attaching three pits together, if not new 



GARDENLN^G FOE PROFIT. 



m this country, is certainly new in its almost universal adop- 
tion by commercial gardeners, in all houses erected dur- 
ing the past five years in the neighborhood of New York ; 
it has great advantages over the detached system, be- 
ing less expensive in heating, more savmg of space, and, 
above all, far more economical in cost of construction. 
I prefer havmg only three together, for the reason that, 
when we have the snow to clear away, it is quickly done by 

being shoveled from the 
two valleys or furrows 
over the ridges ; although 
we have one grower in 
this neighborhood who 
has 12 connected houses, 
and finds but little trouble 
with snow; our snows 
being mostly from the 
North, the shed breaks 
them off in a great meas- 
ure, and what blows over, 
blows mostly off through 
the valley between the 
sashes. The water from 
the gutter is led into a 
cistern, at the south end 
of the green-houses, of a 




Fig. 34. — west's force pump. 



capacity of not less than 3000 cubic feet, if 5000, all the bet- 
ter ; to this is connected a West's Force Pump^ fig. 24, with 
150 feet of 1^-inch hose, and to the end of the hose is attach- 
ed a heavy sprinkler. One man pumps, and another regu- 
lates the water and sprinkles it over the plants. My estab- 



PORCn^G PITS OR GREEN-HOUSES. 61 

Kshment contains over an acre of glass, and yet, by this 
labor-saving arrangement, all the plants are thoroughly 
drenched with water by two men in four hours. Before 
adopting this method, which I only did last year for the 
first time, four hands were employed the whole day dur- 
ng the spring months in watering, and then the work 
was not done half so well. There is nothing that I have 
ever done connected with horticultural operations, that 
has been so entirely satisfactory as this system of watering. 
In these pits may be propagated and grown Grape 
Vines, Roses, and green-house and bedding plants of every 
description, in the best possible manner. But as our pres- 
ent purpose is only with vegetables, I will endeavor to de- 
scribe our mode of operations with some of these. As 
Lettuce, from the great quantities consumed in all large 
cities, is now, and will be likely to be, one of the most 
profitable vegetables to force, we begin, for our first crop, 
by sowing the seed about the first of September, in the 
open ground, of the Tennis Ball, or Black-seeded Butter 
sorts. These are planted on the benches of the forcing 
house in five or six weeks after, at about six or eight 
inches apart each way, on well enriched soil, placed on the 
benches to the depth of five or six inches. At this season, 
no " forcing " is required, in fact, if the sashes could be 
taken completely off until the middle of November, so 
much the better, but when it is not convenient, the sashes 
should be kept raised to admit air, night and day, until 
fi-osts begin to be severe ; then they should be shut up at 
night, but no fire heat should be applied until the weather 
has been severe enough to indicate 32 or 34 inside the pits, 
and even then very slight, for if thev can be brought to 



62 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

maturity at this season without the temperature exceed- 
ing forty at night, (by fire heat), the crop will be all the 
better. The great thing in forcing all plants of this hardy 
nature being to avoid a high temperature. This first 
crop is usually ready by middle of December, and is cut 
oflT and sold in two weeks; the soil on the benches is 
slightly manured, dug up, and again planted (from plants 
sown in cold frames, or in boxes in the same pit) about No- 
vember 1st. This second, or winter crop, requires more 
attention in growing, both in firing, watering, and airing, 
as it matures about March 1st, and consequently has had 
to be cared for during the coldest part of the year. The 
third crop, treated exactly as the second, is planted soon 
as the other is cut off, and matures about May 1st. We 
now vary the use of the pit, by planting at distances of 
about three feet apart along the centre of the bench, 
plants of the White Spine Cucumber, from seed sown 
about April first, in a corner of the pit that has been 
kept closer and warmer than that for the Lettuce ; these 
are planted in pots about 3 inches in diameter, and by the 
time the benches are cleared in May, are fine strong plants, 
that gives a full crop during the month of June — ^fuUy a 
month sooner than from the open ground. The combined 
value of these four crops will average about $500, for an 
erection 100 feet in length by 11 feet in width. The esti 
mated expense of cultivation is : — 

Interest on $1000, cost of construction, at 10 per cent $100 

Coal, 5 tons 50 

Labor, Manure, etc 100 

$250 
Receipts 500 

Nett Profit $250 



FORCING PITS OR GREEN-HOUSES. 63 

These forcing pits are likewise used for starting seeds 
of Tomato, Egg, Pepper, Cabbage, and Cauliflower, and 
sprouting Sweet Potatoes, which is done with far less risk 
and in a much better manner, than can be accomplished 
by the hot-bed. One great advantage is, that by being 
able to walk inside of them, these pits are accessible in 
all weathers, while with the hot-bed or frames, we are in 
winter often debarred ft'om examination for whole days 
together. 

At present prices, in this locality, these pits cost 
about $10 per lineal foot, everything complete put 
up in the way indicated by the plan in a plain sub- 
stantial manner. But those whose circumstances do 
not admit of the expense of heating by hot water, 
(which is nearly half the cost of the whole), may put up 
erections of exactly the same character, and heat them by 
the common smoke flue, at an expense of from five to 
six dollars per lineal foot, in the manner shown by the 
plan, fig. 25. It will be seen by this sketch, that two 
flues only are used for the three pits, each passing first up 
under the bench on the outside houses, is carried along 
the end and returned through the middle houses; this 
equalizes the temperature in all three, for the outside 
houses get only one run of the flue, but it being directly 
from the fire, gives about the same heat to the outside 
houses as two runs in the middle house, which being at a 
greater distance from the fire, are much colder. Three 
attached houses, heated thus, should not be over 50 feet 
long, in this latitude. Southward they may be 60 feet, 
and northward 40 feet. Peculiarities of locality have 
much to do with the heating ; in positions particularly 



64 



GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



-» D -N 



M 



rp 



11 



c 





J5L 



M. 



Kl 




Fig. 25.— END SECTION AND GROUND PLAN OF FORCING PITS 
HEATED BY FLUE. 



FORCING PITS OR GREEN-HOUSES. 65 

sheltered from the northwest, the same amount of flue 
will heat 60 feet, quite as easily as in exposed places it 
will heat 40. The proper way of constructing the furnace 
and flue, is of importance enough to require a description. 
The size of the furnace doors should not be less than 1 
foot square, the length of the furnace bars, 2 feet ; the 
furnace should be arched over, the top of inside of the arch 
at least 18 inches from the bars. The flue will always 
" draw " better if slightly on the ascent throughout its en- 
tire length ; it should be elevated, in all cases, from the 
ground, on flags or bricks, so that its heat may be given 
out on all sides. The inside measure of the flue should 
not be less than 8 x 14 inches ; if tiles can be conveniently 
procured, they are best to cover with, but if not, the top 
of the flUe may be contracted to 6 inches, and covered 
with bricks. Care should be taken that no woodwork 
connect with the flue at any place. I have known cases 
where woodwork has caught fire at 70 feet from the fur- 
nace, after the house had been in operation for three years ; 
but an unusually strong draft intensified the heat,and the 
charred timber ignited and totally destroyed the green- 
house and its contents. In the plan and section on the 
opposite page, A^ is the shed, enclosing the furnaces G G ; 
from which pass the flues, J9, in the direction shown by 
the arrows to the chimnies, L. The benches are not 
shown here, but they are arranged as in fig. 23. 



CHAPTER XI. 

SEEDS AND SEED RAISING. 



If there is one thing of paramount importance in 
vegetable gardening, it is purity of seed ; and for this 
reason every seed that it is practicable for us to raise 
for our own use, we grow, no matter what the cost 
may be. On one occasion, our indispensable Wake- 
field Cabbage seed failed, from some peculiarity in the 
season, and there was no alternative but to buy from 
the seed stores ; every store in New York was tried, but 
not a seed proved to be of the Wakefield, as we know it. 
One old gentleman, who always provided for such emer- 
gencies, had a two-year old reserve supply. I offered him 
$50 per pound, but could not procure an ounce from him. 
He too well understood the state of the case, and planted 
his whole ground with this variety, and as he got in ahead 
of all by nearly ten days, made a little fortune by the 
operation. That was about ten years ago ; but I have 
never known a Jersey gardener to be out of this variety 
of seed since, and not know where to get it. On another 
occasion one pound ot seed, purchased as Silesia Lettuce, 
and planted in my forcing frames, proved to be the curled 
66 



SEEDS AND SEED RAISING. 67 

India Lettuce, useless, except for our hottest summer 
weather, and perfectly worthless for forcing. This was 
the most serious loss from bad seeds I ever encountered, 
amounting to at least $1000. Last year, quite a number 
of my neighbors lost heavily in purchasing seed of the 
er^ct variety of Thyme, instead of the spreading variety; 
the crop being all but worthless in consequence. No 
wonder then that the market gardeners are so skeptical 
about using seeds except those of their own raising, or 
from those of their immediate neighbors, in whose knowl- 
edge and honesty they have entire confidence. 

There is but little new to say of the manner of raising 
seeds ; the importance of selecting the purest specimens 
of each variety, and of keeping plants that are of the 
same families, as far distant apart as the limits of the 
ground will admit, is now well understood. It is not 
practicable, however, to raise all the seeds wanted in our 
vegetable gardens, in our climate, and consequently we 
have to rely on importation for seeds of Brocoli, Cauli- 
flower, some varieties of Cabbage, Radishes, Peas, etc. 
But the great majority of seeds used are raised here, our 
climate being particularly well adapted for maturing them. 
In the raising of market vegetables, near large cities, the 
usual practice is, for each grower to grow only a few vari- 
eties, and these of the sorts most profitable to his location or 
soil For example, we of New Jersey, in the immediate 
vicinity of New York, grow Beets, Cabbages, Cauliflow- 
er, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Radishes, and Turnips, as a first 
crop ; followed by Celery, Thyme, Sage, Brocoli, and late 
Cabbage, as a second crop. Of these varieties we save 
all the seeds that it is practicable for us to raise ; while 



68 GARDENING FOR PROFIT, 

the more Southern counties of the State, where crops ma- 
ture ten or twelve days earlier, but the distance greater 
from market, the bulkier and cheaper articles are not 
grown, and only the more portable and (when early) valu- 
able kinds are raised, of which Tomatoes, Melons, Peas, 
Kidney Beans, Early Turnips, and Beets, are the staple 
articles. There, also, the growers know well the necessity 
of sowing only such seeds as are grown by themselves, or 
from sources that they know to be reliable. 

Seed growing, as practised by market gardeners, is on 
much too small a scale to make it profitable ; in fact, there 
is hardly a seed we raise, but costs us much more than what 
we could purchase it for from the seedsmen. Seedsmen are 
supplied by regular seed growers, who make a special 
business of it ; they are located principally in the East- 
ern States, and devote many thousands of acres of the 
finest lands to the purpose. They are a highly responsi- 
ble class of men, who thoroughly understand the business, 
and are now successfully competing with the English and 
French growers, from whom, only a few years ago, nearly 
all our seeds were imported. Just so soon as our seeds- 
men are able to get their entire supply from reliable men 
here, there will be no necessity for the market gardeners 
continuing to be their own seed growers ; they would also 
greatly conduce to the increase of their business by taking 
the trouble to ascertain the varieties most suitable for 
market purposes. Above all, no seed should ever be sold 
without its germinating qualities being thoroughly tested. 
Neither should any gardener risk his crop without testing 
the seed, unless he has implicit confidence in the source 
from whence it has been purchased. 



SEEDS AJny SEED RAISING. 69 

It will be understood, that of all annual plants, such as 
Beans, Corn, Cucumbers, Egg Plants, Lettuce, Melons, 
Peas, Radishes, Tomatoes, etc., tlie seed is saved the sea- 
son of planting, and should be always taken from those 
first maturing, if earlipc^s is an object. The seeds of bi- 
ennial vegetables, such as Beets, Carrots, Celery, Cab- 
bages, Onions, Leeks, Parsley, Parsnips, etc., are raised by 
selecting the best specimens from those preserved over 
winter, planting them out in good soil on the opening of 
spring, at distances such as are recommended for their 
growing. 

DuEATiOi^ OF Germination in Seeds. — There are very 
few seeds that will not germinate as freely the second year 
as the first, if properly kept in a cool place, and not ex- 
posed to either a too drying or too damp an atmosphere. 
With the exception of Parsnips, Onions, and Leeks, I would 
just as confidently sow seed two years old, as when fresh 
gathered ; but there is a limit to the vitality of seeds, va- 
rying much in the different species. 

Among those, only safe for two years, are : Beans and 
Peas, of all kinds ; Peppers, Carrot, Egg Plant, Okra, 
Salsify, Thyme, Sage, and Rhubarb. 

Those safe for three years : Asparagus, Endive, Lettuce, 
Parsley, Spinach, and Radish. 

Those safe for four years : Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cab- 
bage, Celery, and Turnip. 

Those possessing the greatest vitality are: Beet, Cu- 
cumber, Melon, Pumpkin, Squash, and Tomato ; the time 
ranging from five to ten years. 

We often find this knowledge very valuable ; for exam- 
ple, in procuring the stock of a seed said to be good, of a 



70 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

variety that does not seed the season it is marketable, 
such as Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, or Celery, we pro- 
cure enough to last at least two seasons ; the first season 
only a little is sown, to test the merit of the variety, (for 
. we are never incautious enough to risk a full crop with one 
experiment); if it proves valuable, we have enough in re- 
serve to sow for a full crop, knowing that it is sure to 
geiminate. This was particularly the case with our New 
Dwarf Celery ; on the recommendation of a friend I im- 
ported ten pounds of the seed, but doubtful of how it 
would suit our market, only as much was sown as would 
furnish a few hundred plants. These showed so much 
superiority, in all respects, to the tall varieties that we had 
been growing, that the following season I put in half my 
crop with the dwarf seed. The thing was entirely new 
in our market, and so much superior, that it sold for prices 
that would seem incredible. My ten lb. bag was not half 
exhausted, and the next season I planted my whole crop, 
fourteen acres, containing nearly half a million roots, and 
made one of the best hits I ever made in gardening. But 
by this time my neighbors began to take an unusual in- 
terest in my Celery crop, and I could monopolize the va- 
riety no longer. New Ybrkers will this season appreciate 
Celery more than ever before, and in consequence far more 
will be sold, for there is as marked a difference in the 
flavor of this variety and the coarse growing kinds, as be- 
tween a Bartlett and a Choke pear. 



CHAPTER XII. 

now, WHEN, AND WHERE TO SOW SEED& 



As seed sowing is the starting point of cropping, a 
thorough knowledge of the conditions necessary for the 
germination of the different varieties, will go far towards 
putting the tyro in gardening well on the way to success. 
The very general want of knowledge in this matter is too 
often the cause of much undeserved censure upon the 
seedsman, for in nine cases out of ten the failure is not 
with the seeds, but results from the time or manner of 
planting. When the owner of a garden sends his order for 
seeds to the seedsman, it is generally a complete list of all 
he wants for the season. They are received, and the in- 
teresting operation of sowing is begun: first in a hot 
bed, if he has one, often as early as the first week in Feb 
ruary, (a month too soon by the way), and in go indis 
criminately, at the same date, and under the same-sash 
his seeds of Cabbage, Cauliflower, Lettuce, and Egg Plant, 
Peppers and Tomatoes. Yet even in the waning heat of 
this early hot-bed, where a thermometer would possibly 
not indicate more than fifty degrees, he finds in a week or so 
71 



72 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

his Cabbage, Lettuce, and Cauliflower "coming through" 
nicely, but as yet no Egg Plants, Peppers, or Tomatoes. He 
impatiently waits another week, makes an examination, and 
discovers that instead of his Tomatoes and Egg Plants be- 
ginning to vegetate, they are commencing to rot. It is now 
plain to him that he has been cheated ; he has been sold old 
seed, and if he does nothing worse, he for ever after looks 
upon the seedsman he has patronized as a venial wretch, 
destitute of principle and honesty. But he must have 
Tomatoes, Peppers, and Egg Plants, and he buys again, 
from another seedsman, warranted honest. He renews his 
hot-bed, it is now a month later, and a bright March sun, 
with milder nights, gives him the proper temperature in 
his hot-bed — 70 or 80^, and his eyes are at last gladdened 
by the sprouting of the troublesome seed. April comes 
with warm sunshine, inviting him to begin to " make gar- 
den " outside. He has yet the balance of the original lot of 
seeds that he bought in February. But as he is still entire- 
ly befogged about the cause of his failure in the first hot- 
bed, he begins his open ground operations with little confi- 
dence in his seeds, but as he has got them, they may as well 
be tried. And again he sows in the same day his Peas and 
Lima Beans, Radishes and Pumpkins, Onions and Sweet 
Corn. Hardy and tender get the same treatment. The re- 
sult must of necessity be the same as it was in the hot-bed 
the hardy seeds duly vegetate, while the tender are of 
course rotted. This time he is not surprised, for he is already 
convinced that seedsman No. 1 is a rascal, and only won- 
ders how any of his seeds grew at all, so he again orders 
from seedsman No. 2 for the articles that have failed. 
Herft circumstances continue to favor the latter, for by 



HOW, AVHEN, AND WHERE TO SOW SEEDS. 



73 



this time the season has advanced in its temperature and 
the seeds duly vegetate. Every farmer knows that, in 
this latitude, he can sow Oats or Wheat in March or April, 
but that if he sows his Corn or Pumpkins at the same time, 
they will perish ; this he knows, but he may not know 
that what is true of the crops of the farm, is equally true 
of the garden. Hence the importance of a knowledge of 
the season when to sow vegetable seeds, or set out plants. 
The temperature best fitted for the germination of seeds 
of the leading kinds, will be best understood by the tabu- 
lar form given below. 



Vegetable seeds that may he sown, 
in this latitude^ from the middle of 
March to the end of April. Ther- 
mometer in the shade averaging 45 
degrees. 



Vegetable seeds that may be sown in 
the open ground, in this latitude^ from 
the middle of May to the middle of 
June. Thermometer in the shade av- 
eraging 60 degrees. 



Beet. 


Lettuce. 


Lima Beans. 


Water Melon. 


Carrot. 


Parsley. 


Bush Beans. 


Squash. 


Cress. 


Parsnip. 


Cranberrry 


Pumpkin. 


Celery. 


Onions. 


Pole Beans. 


Tomato. 


Cabbage. 


Peas. 


Scarlet Run- 


Nasturtium. 


Cauliflower. 


Kadish. 


ner Beans. 


Okra. 


Endive. 


Turnip.. 


Sweet Corn. 


Cucumber. 


Kale. 


Spinach. 


Musk Melon. 





It will be understood that these dates refer only to the 
latitude of New York, farther South, operations should be 
begun earlier, — farther North, later. So much for the time 
of sowing ; I will now refer to suitable soil and the man- 
ner of sowing. 

The Choice of Soil, when choice can be made, is of 

great importance, the best being a light soil, composed 

of leaf mold, sand, and loam ; the next substitute for 

leaf mold being well decayed stable manure, or better 

4 



74 GARDENING FOR PROFIT, 

yet, decayed refuse hops from the breweries, in short, 
anything of this nature that will tend to lighten the 
soil, the point to be avoided being a weight of soil, 
either from the nature or quantity of it. The nature of 
the soil is not of so much importance for the germinating 
of large vigorous seeds, as Peas, Beets, Beans, Corn, etc. 
But with the delicate, slow sprouting sorts, as Celery, 
Parsnip, Egg Plant, or Peppers, it is of much importance 
Seeds of nearly every garden vegetable should be sown ir 
rows ; the distance apart, according to the variety, and tha 
depth proportioned to the size of the seed. No better infor 
mation can be given in this matter, than the old rule of 
covering the seed with about its thickness of soil, but thij 
should always be followed up by having the soil pressed 
closely down. In our market gardens here, we invariably 
have the ground rolled after sowing, or in frames or hot- 
beds, where the roller cannot be used, we pat the soil even- 
ly down with a spade after sowing. This may not be of 
so much consequence in early spring, when the atmosphere 
is moist, but as the season advances, it is of great im- 
portance. I have seen many acres of Carrots and Parsnips 
lost for want of this simple attention ; the covering of the 
seeds being loose, the heated air penetrates through, dry- 
ing the seeds to shriveling, so that they never can vege- 
tate. My farmer readers, no doubt, have had plenty of 
similar experiences with Turnips, where they have been 
sown broadcast without rolling. Another advantage in 
rolling after seed sowing is, that it leaves the surface, 
smooth and level, thereby lessening greatly the labor of 
hoeing. Instead of adopting the questionable practice of 
steeping seeds, preparatory to sowing in dry hot weather, 



HOW, WHEN, ilND WHERE TO SOW SEEDS. 75 

we prefer first to thoroug'lily saturate the bed with water, 
and after it has dried enough, so that it can be raked with- 
out clogging, sow the seed. It is much better to do this 
than water after the seed has been sown, as it has a ten- 
dency in most soils to bake the surface. 

Sowing in Hot-beds. — It would lengthen this chapter 
too much to give extended directions for sowing seeds in 
hot-beds. I will briefly say, that after the hot-bed has 
been formed — say by the first week in March, let soil, of 
the kind recommended, be placed on it six inches deep, in- 
to which plunge a thermometer three or four inches, and 
when the temperature recedes to 75 degrees or 80 degrees, 
you may then sow, giving air in mild weather as soon as 
the seeds begin to vegetate, covering up warmly at night 
by mats, straw, or hay. But many that may read this 
never saw a hot-bed, and are perhaps never likely to have 
one : to such I would say that there is an excellent substi- 
tute on hand in most dwellings, in the kitchen or base- 
ment windows, facing South or East, inside of which is a 
temperature usually not far from that required for the 
vegetation of seeds, and where plants from seeds of the 
early vegetables, or tender plants for the flower border, may 
be raised nearly as well, and with far less attention, than in 
a hot-bed. Instead of hot-beds, we use our green-houses 
for the purpose, using shallow boxes in which we sow the 
seed ; these are made from the common soap box, cut in 
three pieces, the top and bottom forming two, and the 
middle piece, bottomed, making the third; these form 
cheap, convenient boxes. Fill these nearly full with the 
soil recommended, and after sowing, press nicely dc»wn 
level, and make the surface soil moderately firm ; keep 



76 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

moist, in a temperature in the window of from 60 to 70 
degrees, and your little trouble will soon be rewarded. 

In this way seeds should be sown thickly, and after they 
have made the first rough leaf, should be again planted 
out into the same kind of box, from one to four inches 
apart, according to the kind, and placed in the window to 
receive similar treatment as the seeds; but as the season 
advances, in mild days they should be set out of doors, 
care being taken that they are brought in at night, and 
that the soil in the boxes is never allowed to get dry. 

I know what is usually the first thing the novice in gar- 
dening does if he gets any choice seed or favorite cutting ; 
he has some how got the belief that there is some hidden 
virtue in a flower pot, and he accordingly sows his seed 
or plants his cutting in a pot, but in nine cases out of ten 
they are destroyed, or partially so, by the continued dry- 
ing of the soil in the porous flower pot. If early in the 
season, let delicate seeds be sown in the kitchen or sitting 
room window, in the boxes as recommended, or if late, in 
the open border ; but seeds should never be sown in pots, 
as even in experienced hands they are much more trouble- 
some and uncertain than boxes. 

Rotation of Crops. — Cultivators of the most limited 
experience soon discover that the same kind of crop can- 
not be grown on the same ground for many years in suc- 
cession, without deterioration. A great many theories 
have been advanced assigning causes for this, but they are 
as yet far from satisfactory, and as this is not a book of 
theory but of practice, I will not further allude to them. 
Tlie following general rules will be found useful as a 
guide : — 



UOW, WHEN, AND WHERE TO SOW SEEDS. 77 

1st. Plants, of the same family, should not b3 planted 
to succeed each other. 

2d. Plants, which occupy the ground for a number of 
years, such as Rhubarb and Asparagus, should be sue* 
ceeded by annual plants. 

3d. Crops, grown for heads, such as Cauliflower, Cab- 
bage, etc., should be succeeded by crops grown for their 
bulbs or roots. 

It is hardly practicable to vary crops according to any 
set rule, the demand in different localities for certain ar- 
ticles being greater than in others. Generally variety 
enough is demanded to allow of sufficient rotation. 
Our system of heavy manuring, deep culture, and taking 
two crops from the ground each season, seems to do away 
in a great measure with the necessity for systematic rota- 
tion, which would often be found to be very inconvenient. 
The crops of all others, that we find most benefited by 
change are, the Cabbage tribe, together with the allied 
Turnip, Radish, etc., while on the other hand we have 
grown Onions successively on the same ground for ten 
years — ^the last crop just as good as the first ; but as a 
rule of safety, vary whenever you can. 

Quantity of Seeds per Acre. — The quantities given 
below are somewhat higher in some kinds than the usual 
estimates, our experience showing us that in weak vege- 
•ating seeds, such as Parsnips, Carrots, etc., it requires 
numbers, particularly on stiff soils, to force through plants 
enough to form a crop ; more seed is required when sown 
during the dry hot months of summer, than if sown in tho 
cooler and moist seasons of spring and fall, hence quanti- 
ties are regulated accordingly : — 



78 GARDEmNG FOR PROFIT. 

QUANTITY OF GARDEN SEEDS PER ACRE. 

Ahovt. 

BeaD8, Dwarf Kidney in drills 13^ bushels. 

Beans, Pole in hills 12 quarts. 

Beets in drills. ..8 pounds or 8 quarts. 

Carrot in drills 5 pounds. 

Corn, (shelled) in hills 2 quarts. 

Cucumbers in hills 1 pound. 

Melon, (Musk) in hills 1 pound. 

Melon, (Water) in hills Ij^ pounds. 

Onions, (for bulbs) in drills 6 pounds. 

Onions, (for sets) ..in drills 30 pounds. 

Onion sets, (small) in drills 10 bushels. 

Potatoes, (cut tubers) in di'ills 10 bushels. 

Parsnips in drills 8 pounds. 

Peas in drills "IK bushels. 

Radish in drills 5 pounds. 

Radish broadcast 10 pounds. 

Spinach in drills 10 pounds. 

Salsify in drills 10 pounds. 

Squash in hills 1 pound. 

Turnip in drills 2 pounds. 

Turnip broadcast 4 pounds. 

QUANTITY OP SEEDS REQUIRED FOR A GIVEN NUMBER OF PLANTS. 



About. 

Asparagus, 1 oz 500 plants 

Cabbage, loz 2000 " 

Cauliflower, 1 oz 2000 " 

Celery, 1 oz 3000 " 

Leek, 1 oz 1500 " 

Endive, loz 3000 " ' 

Egg Plant, 1 oz 1000 " 

Lettuce, 1 oz 3000 " 



About. 

Pepper, 1 oz 1000 plants 

Tomato, loz 1500 " 

Thyme, 1 oz 5000 ** 

Sage, 1 oz 1500 " 

Savory, 1 oz 2000 " 

Marjoram, 1 oz 1500 ** 

Rhubarb, 1 oz 500 " 



FARM SEEDS PER ACRE. 

About. 

Wheat, broadcast \}4 bushels. 

Barley, " 2 to 3 ** 

Oats, " 2to8 " 



HOW, WHEN, AND WHERE TO SOW SEEDS. 



79 



Buckwheat, broadcast 1 bushel. 

Indian Corn, (for soiling) 3 " 

Hemp lyi ** 

Fiax IK " 

Pca8 3 " 

Vetches.. 3 '* 

Chinese Sugar Cane 12 quarts. 

Broom Corn 10 ** 

White Clover, (alone) 15 pounds. 

Red Clover, (alone) 20 " 

Lucerne, (in drills) . .15 " 

Blue Grass, (alone) 3 bushels. 

Rye Grass, (alone) 2 " 

Orchard Grass, (alone) 3 " 

Timothy Grass, (alone) J^ " 

Red Top Grass . .3 " 

Mixed Lav>'n Grass. 

Clover, \ together ^ 10 pounds Clover. 

Timothy 
Bed Top, 



', \ together r 10 pounds Clover. 

by, > for ) 3^ bushel Timothy. 

3p, ) one acre ( 1 bushel Red Top. 



THE NUMBER OF PLANTS, TREES, ETC., REQUIRED TO SET AN ACRE. 



Distance. huniher. 

1 ft. by 1 ft 43,560 

IK ft. by 1)^ ft 19,360 

2 ft. by 2 ft 10,890 

2Kft. by2Klt 6,970 

3 ft. by 1ft 14,520 

3 ft. by 2 ft 7,260 

3ft.by3ft 4,840 

4ft. by4ft 2,722 

5 ft. by 5 ft 1,742 



Distance. Number. 

6 ft. by 6 ft 1,210 

9 ft. by 9 ft 537 

12 ft. by 12 ft 302 

15 ft, by 15 ft 194 

18 ft. by 18 ft 134 

20 ft. by 20 ft 103 

25 ft. by 25 ft 70 

30 ft. by 30 ft... 40 

40ft. by 40ft ^ 



CHAPTEK Xin. 

TRANSPLANTING. 



Transplanting is an operation of great importance; 
the condition of the plant, the state of the soil, and of 
the atmosphere, have much to do with its success, inde- 
pendently of the simple mechanical operation. It is not 
very easy to instruct the uninitiated as to what the proper 
condition of the plant should be ; experience in this being, 
as in everything else, the best teacher. Attention to keep- 
ing the seed-bed clear of weeds, the " topping " of plants 
when they get too tall, and careful digging up of them 
so as to preserve the root fibres, will all greatly assist. 
We cannot always get the soil in the proper condition 
of moisture to receive plants at the time transplanting 
should be performed, but to make up for the want of mois- 
ture, planting should be delayed always until late in the 
afternoon, unless in cloudy weather. It is also of great 
importance that the ground be freshly plowed; the moist 
soil thus brought to the surface will induce the formation 
of root fibres in one night, after which the plants are 
comparatively safe ; but if they be allowed to wilt before 
80 



TRAJS^SPLANTING. 81 

the new roots begin to be emitted, and continued dry 
weather ensues, then nothing will save them but having 
recourse to watering, which should always be avoided if 
possible. In planting, each man is provided with a boy, who 
carries the plants in a basket, and whose duty is to drop 
the plant on the line at the proper distance before the 
planter. In planting, a hole is made by the dibber about 
the depth of the root ; the plant being inserted, the soil is 
then pressed close to the root, the hole thus made by the 
displacement of the soil is again filled up by one stroke of 
the dibber. In dry weather we still further firm the plant, 
by each planter returning on his row, and treading the soil 
around plants firmly with the feet. I am thus particular 
in describing a simple matter, knowing well, that millions 
of plants are annually lost by inattention to this firming of 
the soil. The same rule is applicable to transplanting of 
all kinds, trees, shrubs, or vegetables. Instead of " pud- 
dling " the roots in mud, we prefer to keep the plants 
dripping wet during the whole time of planting, so that 
each plant, as it is put in the soU, puddles itself by the 
particles of soil adhering to the wet root. Besides, the 
leaves of the plant, being wet, will for some time resist 
the action of the dry air. 



CHAPTER XIY. 

PACKING OF VEGETABLES FOR gHEPPING. 



This is a matter for which it is not very easy to give 
directions, as the distance, season, and articles to be packed 
will greatly determine the manner in which it is to be 
done ; but a few general directions may assist the inex- 
perienced. 

The mode of packing during spring and summer is al- 
most entirely the reverse of that practiced during autumn 
or winter, for the reason that, when the temperature is 
high, provision must be made in the package for the ad- 
mission of air to prevent the articles from heating ; while 
in cold weather, when there is but little danger from heat- 
ing, but more to be apprehended from frost, close packages 
must be used accordingly. 

As early vegetables are always shipped from a warm 
climate to a colder one, at a season which, of course, must 
be warm to mature them, open work baskets or slatted 
boxes must be used. If barrels are used, care must be 
taken that openings be made plentifully in the sides, so 
that air may be admitted. For distances requiring a delay 
82 



PACKING OFVEGETABLES FOR SHIPPIKG. 83 

of more than forty eight hours in the transit, for most ar- 
ticles, barrels are too large ; boxes or baskets, one-fom-th 
the capacity of a flour barrel, being safer. The articles 
shipped in this manner from southern ports to northeru 
markets, are : Asparagus, Beans, Cucumbers, Lettuce, 
Melons, Peas, Radishes, Tomatoes, and other summer 
crops. Bulky articles, such as Cabbages, Beets, Sweet 
Corn, Water Melons, Turnips, are often shipped loose on the 
decks of steamers, sloops, etc. ; but even then, care must 
be taken that the heaps are not too large, else they may 
be injured by heating. The judgment of the shipper must 
be exercised in respect to the article to be shipped. Articles 
that lay close, will require to be shipped in smaller pack- 
ages than those that lie so loosely that the air can pass 
among them ; for example. Melons may be safely packed 
in a barrel, while, if Tomatoes were so packed, they would 
be utterly destroyed. 

The winter or fall shipping of vegetables is the reverse 
of the summer, for then we send from the North to the 
South, our colder and damper atmosphere being more 
congenial to the growth of late crops. Close packages 
are now used, but still not too large ; barrels being best 
suited to such articles as Beets, Carrots, Celery, Onions, 
Parsnips, Potatoes, or Turnips, while Cabbages and Cauli- 
flowers may be shipped in crates or in bulks. 



CHAPTER XV. 

PRESERVATION OF VEGETABLES IN WINTER. 



Our manner of preserving vegetable roots in winter is, 
I think, peculiar to this district, and is very simple and 
effective. 

After taking up such crops as Beets, Carrots, Horse- 
radish, Parsnips, Turnips, Potatoes, etc., in fall, they are 
put in temporary oblong heaps, on the surface of the 
ground on which they have been growing, and covered up 
with 5 or 6 inches of soil, which will keep off such slight 
frosts as are likely to occur until time can be spared to 
put them in permanent winter quarters ; this is done in 
this section usually during the first part of December, in 
the following manner : A piece of ground as dry as pos- 
sible is chosen ; if not naturally dry, provision must be 
made to carry off the water^ lower than the bottom of the 
pit. The pit is dug out from three to four feet deep, 
about six feet wide, and of the length required ; the roots 
are then packed in in sections of about two feet wide 
across the pit, and only to the hight of the ground level. 
Petween the sections, a space of half a foot is left, which 
84 



PRESERVATION OF VEGETABLES IN A\TNTER. 85 

is filled lip with the soil level to the top ; this leaves the 
pit filled up two feet wide in roots, and half a foot of soil, 
and so on until the whole is finished. The advantage of 
this plan is, that it is merely a series of small pits, holding 
from three to five barrels of roots, which can be taken out 
f >r market without exposing the next section, as it is 
closed off by the six inches of soil between. Also, that 
we find that roots of all kinds keep safer when in small 
bulk, than when large numbers are thrown into one pit 
together. In covering, the top is rounded so as to throw 
off the water, with a layer of from 18 inches to 2 feet of 
soil. This way of preserving roots, with perhaps the ex- 
ception of Potatoes, is much preferable to keeping them 
in a cellar or root house, as they not only keep fresher, re- 
taining more of their natural flavor and color, but far 
fewer of them are lost by decay than when exposed to 
the air and varying temperature of a cellar. Unmatured 
heads of Cauliflower, or Broccoli, however, are best matur- 
ed in a light cellar or cold frame, by being planted in close 
together; in this way, good heads may be had to Janu- 
ary. Cabbages are preserved very simply ; they are left 
out as late as they can be pulled up by the roots, in this 
section about the end of November, they are then pulled 
up and turned upside down — the rot)ts up, the heads 
packed close together, in beds six feet wide, with six feet 
alleys between, care being taken to have the ground lev- 
elled where the cabbages are placed, so that they pack 
nicely. They are left in this way for two or three weeks, 
or as long as the ground can be dug between the alleys, 
the soil from which is thrown in on the beds of Cabbage, 
so that, when finished, they have a covering of four or six 



86 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

inches of soil. This is not enough to cover the root how- 
ever, which is left partly exposed, but this is in no way 
injurious. Some prefer to cover them up at once by plow- 
ing a furrow, shoveling it out wide enough to receive the 
heads of the Cabbages, then turning the soil in on the 
heads, and so continuing until beds of six or eight feet are 
thus formed. This plan is rather more expeditious than 
the former, but it has the disadvantage of compelling 
them to be covered up at once by soil, while the other plan 
delays it two or three weeks later, and it is of the utmost 
importance in preserving vegetables that the operation 
(particularly the final covering) be delayed as late in the 
season as frost will permit. Generally more are lost by be- 
ginning too soon than delaying too late. Onions, we find, 
are best preserved in a barn or stable loft, in layers of 
from 8 to 10 inches deep, covered up with about a foot of 
hay or straw on the approach of severe frosts. The great 
points to be attained are a low temperature and a dry at- 
mosphere ; they will bear 20 degrees of frost without in- 
jury, provided they are not moved while frozen, but they 
will not stand a reduction of temperature much lower than 
this without injury. 



CHAPTER XYI. 

-INSECTS. 



We have but little trouble with insects in our highly 
cultivated grounds ; what with continued moving of the 
soil by plowing and harrowing every foot, from three to 
four times each season, incessant hoeing, and the digging 
up of the crops, we give these pests but little chance for a 
foot-hold. We are, however, occasionally troubled with 
Aphides^ the " Green-fly," in our forcing houses of Let- 
tuce. A complete remedy for this trouble, in its early 
stages, is smoke from burning tobacco stems ; or tobacco 
stems steeped in water to give it about the color of strong 
tea, and applied with a syringe, will thoroughly destroy 
them. "Jumping Jack," or the Turnip-fly, occasions 
some trouble with late sowings of Cabbages, Turnips, 
and Radishes, but we find an excellent preventive in dust- 
ing lime over the beds, immediately the seeds begin to 
germinate. It is of the utmost importance to use preven- 
tives in the case of insects, for if once they get a lodge 
ment, it is almost useless to attempt their destruction. 
The striped Cucumber-bug, which, with us, attacks late 
sowings only, we have found to yield readily to a few ap- 
plications of boLL.^-dust, which serves the double purpose 
of disturbing the insect and encouraging the growth of 
87 



88 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

the crop. But our most formidable enemy of the insect 
tribe is that which attacks the roots of the Cabbage fam- 
ily, causing the destructive disease known as the " club- 
root." There is a general misconception of the cause of 
this disease ; happily our peculiar location here, gives me 
the means, I believe, of thoroughly disproving some of 
these absurd dogmas, that club-root is caused by " hog 
manure," *' heavy soil," "light soil," etc. I do not doubt 
that it has appeared thousands of times with just 
such conditions ; yet, within three miles from the City 
Hall of New York, I can show to-day, on the classic 
shores of Communipaw, scores of acres that have been 
just so manured, both light soils and heavy soils, that 
have grown Cabbages for twenty consecutive years, and 
yet, the first appearance of club-root is yet to be seen. 
On the other hand, I can show on soils, not more than a 
mile distant from those on the Communipaw shore, where 
the ground is cultivated in the very best possible manner, 
and where every variety of manure has been tried, and 
yet it is impossible to get a crop of Cauliflower or Cabbage 
clear from club-root for two years in succession. Now, the 
reason of the immunity from the pest on the one variety 
of the soil, and not on the other, does not, to us, admit of 
the slightest particle of doubt. On the shore side, and 
for nearly a mile inland, there are regular deposits of oys- 
ter shell, mixed with the soil, almost as we find pebbles in a 
gravelly soil ; now, our theory is, that the insect which 
occasions the club-root, cannot exist in contact with the 
lime, which of course is present in large amount in a soil, 
containing such abundance of oyster shell. Reasoning 
from this, we have endeavored to bring up soils deficient in 



INSECTS. 89 

shell, by heavy dressings of lime ; this answered, however, 
only temporarily, and we found it too expensive to con- 
tinue it. The increasing demands for manures in the 
vicinity of New York, has riendered them of late years 
scarce and high in price, so that we were necessitated to 
begin the use of guano and other concentrated manures, 
and as this was rather new with us in our market gardens, 
we have had the pleasure of some very interesting experi- 
ments. Last season, in my grounds at Jersey City, where 
we have never been able to get two crops of Cabbages 
successively, without having them injured by club-root, my 
foreman suggested to me to experiment with a bed, of about 
half an acre, to be planted with early Wakefield Cabbage. 
One-half of this he proposed to manure at the rate of 
75 tons per acre with stable manure, the other half with 
flour of bone, at the rate of 2000 pounds per acre ; this 
was accordingly done in the usual way, by sowing the 
bone-dust on the ground after plowing, and then thoroughly 
harrowing in. During the month of May we could see no 
perceptible difference in the bed ; but just as soon as our 
first hot days in June came, down wilted the portion that 
had been dressed with stable manure, showing a well-de- 
fined line the whole length of the bed, and, on pulling the 
plants up, we found that our enemy was at work, while in 
that portion that had been dressed by the bone-dust, not 
a wilted plant could be seen, but, on the contrary, the 
crop had most unusual vigor. This experiment has been 
to me one of the most satisfactory I ever tried ; it still 
further proves, that this destructive insect cannot exist to 
an injurious extent in a soil impregnated with lime, and also 
proves, that we have a most effective remedy in this valu- 



90 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

able and portable manure. The experiment was, however, 
to me rather a costly one ; our past experience told us 
that there was no reason to expect that the portion, on 
which the stable manure was used, Avould not be attacked 
by club-root, as it had borne a crop of Cabbage the pre- 
vious year, and nearly twenty years' working of that soil 
had shown that this crop could never be grown succes- 
sively two years ; but experiments, to be satisfactory, must 
be done on a scale of some magnitude, and although I lost 
some $200 by the difference in the crop, I believe it to 
have been a profitable investment. 

I have incidentally stated that the Cabbage crop, treated 
in the usual manner, can only be grown every alternate 
year, the reason of which we infer to be, that the insect 
is harmless to the plant when in the joerfect state the first 
season, but that it is attracted by the plant, deposits its 
eggs in the soil, and that in the larva condition in which 
it appears the second year, it attacks the root. Whether 
this crude theory is correct or not, I will not presume to 
say, but if it is not, how can we account for the fact of our 
being able to grow this plant, free from its ravages every 
alternate year, while, if we attempt to do so successively 
without the use of lime, it is certain to be attacked ? 

All authorities on gardening, that I have had access to, 
seem to be unaware of the fact that clufe-root is never seen 
in soils impregnated with shells. This variety of soil is 
not common. I have never seen it anyvv^here except here, 
nnd as I have before said, this peculiarity of location most 
fortunately gives a certain clue to the facts, and directly 
points out the remedy, which, I think, we have found to 
be in the copious use of bone-dust as manure. 



CHAPTER XVn. 

VEGETABLES, THEIR VARIETIES AND CUL- 
TIVATION. 



In describing the modes of cultivating the different va- 
rieties of vegetables, I shall notice at length only those 
of the most importance, and the most profitable for market 
purposes, while for those of less value as market crops, the 
directions for culture will be such as are adapted to private 
gardens only. 

A limited number of kinds will be described, and such 
only as our experience has shown to possess the greatest 
earliness and productiveness. Nothing is more perplexing 
to the beginner, than to be bewildered by descriptions of, 
perhaps twenty, so-called varieties of a vegetable, that per- 
haps, in reality, does not embrace four distinct kinds. For 
example, in early Cabbages, there are some hundred or more 
varieties described ; yet we find, after having experi- 
mented with some scores of kinds in our time, there is 
one variety more profitable to grow than any other, viz. 
the Jersey Wakefield, which is grown in this locality to 
91 



92 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

the exclusion of all others. However, some kinds are 
found to do better in some localities than in others, hence, 
as in fruits, no particular variety should be claimed to be 
universally the best. 

ASF All AGXJS. —{Asparagus officinalis,) 

Asparagus being a hardy perennial plant, that may be 
grown on the same ground for twenty years without re- 
newal, special care is required in forming the beds in 
which it is to grow. This is done sometimes by trench- 
ing to the depth of two or three feet, mixing each layer 
of soil, as turned over, with two or three inches of well 
rotted manure ; but for market purposes, on a large scale, 
trenching is seldom resorted to ; deep and thorough pul- 
verizing by the plow and subsoiler serving instead. The 
soil best suited for Asparagus is a deep and rather sandy 
loam, such as is often to be found on the borders of mead- 
ows or on the margins of lakes — land formed by the wash- 
ings of the higher grounds, and known as alluvial. 

Varieties. — There is considerable difference of opinion 
concerning varieties. Some contending that there are five 
or six, and others that there is only one variety, which is 
sometimes modified by differences of soU or climate. In 
this latter opinion we entirely coincide, believing that the 
Asparagus officinalis of our gardens is confined to only 
one variety, and that the so-called "Giant" can be made 
gigantic or otherwise, just as we will it, and that the " pur- 
ple top " variety will become a " green top " whenever the 
composition of the soil is not of the kind to develop the 
purple, and vice versa. All practical gardeners know how 
differently soil and climate change the appearance of the 



VEGETABLES ASPAEAGUS. 93 

game variety. Seeds of Cabbage, taken fiom the same 
bag and sown at the same time, but planted out in soils 
of light sandy loam, heavy clayey loam, and peat or leaf- 
mold, will show such marked differences when at matu- 
rity, as easily to be pronounced distinct sorts. This, no 
doubt, is the reason why the multitude of varieties, of all 
vegetables, when planted side by side to test them, are so 
wonderfully reduced in number. 

Propagation. — Asparagus is propagated by seed which 
is sown in spring, as soon as the soil will admit of working, 
which should be prepared, by being thoroughly pul- 
verized, and enriched with well-rotted manure. The seed 
is sown in rows 1 foot apart, and if kept carefully hoed, 
and clear from weeds, the plants will be in fine condition to 
plant out the succeeding spring. Strict attention to this 
will save a year in time ; for if the seed bed has been neg 
lected, it will take two years to get the plants as large as 
they would be in one year, if they had been properly cared 
for. In consequence of this very common neglect of 
proper cultivation of the seed bed, it is an almost uni- 
versal impression that the plants must be two or three 
years old before planting. This is undoubtedly an error, 
for almost all large growers for market purposes, in the 
neighborhood of New York, invariably plant one-year old 
plants, and count on marketing a crop the third spring 
from the time of sowing,. One pound of seed will pro- 
duce about 3000 plants ; and to plant an acre of Asparagus 
requires from 15,000 to 20,000 plants. 

Planting. — The bed being prepared as previously de- 
scribed, planting may be done any time for six or eight 
weeks from the opening of spring ; the plant, from its pecu- 



94 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

liar succulent roots, is less susceptable of injury from late 
planting than most other vegetables, although at the same 
time d,elay should not occur, unless unavoidable, as the 
sooner it is planted after the ground is in working order, 
the better will be the result. When there is plenty of ground, 
and the crop is to be extensively grown, perhaps the 
best mode of planting is in rows 3 feet apart, the plants 
9 inches apart in the rows. For private use, or for market- 
ing on a small scale, beds should be formed 5 feet wide, 
with three rows planted in each; one in the middle, 
and one on each side, a foot from the edge ; the distance 
of the plants in the rows, 9 inches; the alleys between 
the beds should be 2 feet wide. In planting, a line is set 
and a cut made, a little slanting, to the depth of 6 or 8 
inches, according to the size of the plants. The plants 
are then laid against the side of the trench, at the distance 
already named — 9 inches — care being taken to properly 
spread the roots. The crown or top of the plant should 
be covered about 2 inches. In a week or so after plant- 
ing, the beds should be touched over lightly with a sharp 
steel rake, which will destroy the germinating weeds. The 
raking had better be continued at intervals of a week or 
so, until the plants start to grow, when the hoe may be 
applied between the rows and alleys ; the weeds that come 
up close to the plant, must of necessity be pulled out by 
the hand. 

The Application of Salt to Asparagus as a top- 
dressing, is of great benefit in inland districts, out of the 
range of a saline atmosphere ; but is of little or no benefit 
in the vicinity of salt water. When used, it should be 
applied in sprmg only, at the rf^te of from 2 to 3 lbs. per 



v:egetables — asparagus. 95 

square yard, strown on the surface ; the rains will dissolve 
it and wash it down to the roots. Besides its beneficial 
effects upon the plant, it is destructive to the wire worm, 
and other insects that are often troublesome to the As- 
paragus. 

We have found Asparagus beds very profitably benefitt- 
ed by the application of superphosphate of lime, as a 
spring top-dressing, applied at the rate of 500 lbs. per 
acre, sown on the beds and hoed in. Experiments with 
this, on alternate rows, showed a difference of nearly 1 foot 
in hight of the stalk, in favor of the rows to which the 
superphosphate had been applied, over those which had 
none ; and a difference of nearly double the product when 
the crop was cut in the succeeding spring-. 

The fall treatment of the Asparagus beds varies with 
the locality ; in cold regions, where, if left unprotected, 
the frost would penetrate below the roots, a covering of 3 
or 4 inches of rough manure or leaves is necessary. Al- 
though an entirely hardy plant, it will start earlier, and 
with greater vigor in spring, if the root has not been sub- 
jected to severe freezing. In milder sections, no such 
precaution is necessary ; all that need be done is to clear 
off the stems as soon as they are withered in the fall, and 
clean the beds preparatory to giving a dressing of 2 or 3 
inches of manure, which had better not be applied until 
spring. We believe the common practice of top-dressing 
Asparagus beds in fall to be a very wasteful one, in dis- 
tricts where it is not necessary to provide against severe 
freezing, for, as the plant is then dormant, the juices of 
the manure are either evaporated, or else washed down 
by rains below the roots of the plant. I remember, many 



9P GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

years ago, having three small Asparagus beds under my 
charge, on one of which I applied in December 25 lbs. of 
Peruvian guano, dissolved in fifty gallons of water; in 
April the same application was made to another bed, and 
the other was left without anything. There was no per- 
ceptible difference between that to which the liquid had 
been applied in December and that to which none had 
been given, but on that which received it in April, nearly 
double the weight of crop was produced. Since then, all 
our practice, corroborated by direct experiment, has con- 
vinced me beyond all doubt, that manures, either liquid or 
solid, organic or inorganic, are unprofitably employed 
when applied to plants in the dormant state. 

In gathering the crop, caution must be used not to in- 
jure the plants by continued cutting ; for it must be borne 
in mind, that to reproduce annually its crop of shoots in 
spring, something must be left to grow to encourage the 
formation of fresh roots. In our market gardens, the 
practice is to cut off all the shoots as they are ready, un- 
til the middle of May or 1st of June, when the shoots be- 
gin to show signs of weakness ; then all is left to grow 
and no more cut. In its preparation for market, the 
shoots are tied up in round bunches, containing from 
twenty to thirty shoots in each. The tying material is 
usually bass-matting, as that is soft and has the necessary 
strength. It requires a little practice to do the " bunch 
ing" rapidly, and it should be the object of the beginne 
to strive to attain this, as it is light work, and continued 
slowness in the operation will make a serious gap in the 
profits. 

This crop is subject to so many conditions, that an aver- 



VEGETABLES ASPARAGUS. 



97 



age value can hardly be given ; some of our giowers here 
claim that it pays an annual clear profit of $1000 per acre, 
while others say that it does not pay them over $200 per 
acre. During a period of ten years, counting from the 
time the bed was planted, it is safe to say that, in this 
vicinity, the average profits per acre will be $400. It is a 
crop that never fails to sell, is one that is always produc- 
tive if it has been properly treated, and as it has a great 
value for its weight — a ton often being worth from $200 
to $400 — it is, in all respects, a valuable crop for the mar- 
ket gardener. 

In some localities, especially on Long Island, the As-" 
paragus-beetle has injured the crop to such an extent as 
to cause whole plantations to be plow- 
ed under. When the beetle first ap- 
pears, it may be controlled ; but if 
allowed to become established, the 
task is hopeless. The engraving, (fig. 
26), shows the insect in its different 
stages. The lower figure is a part of 
a branch with the small black eggs 
attached by their ends; these are 
given of the natural size, and magni- 
fied. The larva, or caterpillar, as 
well as the perfect beetle, are shown 
at the top of the engraving ; the nat- 
ural size of these is indicated by the 
lines drawn at the side. Whenever the eggs or the larvae 
appear, cut and burn the plants, as long as any traces of 
the insect are to be seen ; this must be done if it destroys 
every vestige of vegetation. 
5 




Fig. 26.— ASPATIAGUS 
BEETLE. 



98 



GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



ARTICHOKE,— {Oynara Scolymus.) 

Although a vegetable as yet rarely seen in our markets, 
it is extensively used in Europe, particularly in France. 
The portion of the plant most used, is the undeveloped 
flower-head, or rather those portions of the flower-head 
called the scales of the involucre. They are sometimes 

boiled, and used as a sal- 
ad, with vinegar, oil, and 
salt ; but more generally 
in the raw state. 

Another use of the 
Artichoke is to blanch it, 
by tying the young side 
shoots moderately close 
together, as we tie En- 
dive, filling in between 
with soil to exclude the 
air until the shoots are 
blanched ; this is what is 
known as " Artichoke 
Salad," or " Artichoke 
Chard," it is used in 
this state in various 
forms of cookery, besides 
Fig. 27.— GREEN GLOBE ARTICHOKE, ^eiug uscd as a salad. 

It is a vegetable of easy culture, originally propagated 
from seeds, until a stock is secured, after which it is read- 
ily increased by suckers from the root. These are planted 
out in April or May, in rows from 3 to 4 feet apart, and 2 
feet between the plants, care being taken that the plants 
are well firmed in planting, and if the weather i« d^-r, 




VEGETABLES ARTICHOKE. 99 

they must be freely watered until they start to grow. 
The plantation, the first season, will only give a partial 
crop; but, as it is a perennial plant, after being once 
planted, the same bed will remain in bearing for years. 
The plant may be said to be entirely hardy south of 
Mason and Dixon's Line, but north of that, it requires to 
be protected by covering between the plants, with 6 or 8 
inches of leaves or coarse manure. 

The Varieties are the Green Globe, and Common 
Green, differing but little, except in the form of the flow- 
er-bud, the former being globular, the latter conical. It 
is claimed by some that the Common Green is more hardy 
and productive, but we have grown them side by side for 
years, and never have observed any difference, except the 
very trifling one in the shape of the flower-bud. 



ARTICHOKE. — Jerusalem. — {Helianthus tuherosus. ) 

This is an entirely different plant from the true Arti- 
choke, though it resembles it somewhat in flavor — ^hence 
its name. As it is very often confounded with the true 
Artichoke, we give an engraving of both. This one is 
a species of Helianthus^ or Sun-flower, and the plant has 
the general appearance of a small Sunflower. The edible 
part of the plant is its tubers. These are like the potato 
in appearance, but when cooked, to the taste of most peo- 
ple, are very inferior in flavor. Their nutritive value is 
said, however, to be fully equal to that of the potato. 
Used in the raw state, it is pickled like the cucumber, or 
sliced, and eaten with vinegar as a salad, but as a culinary 



100 GARDEN^IKG FOR PROFIT. 

vegetable is but little grown, except for variety or novelty. 
Its culture is, in all respects, similar to the potato, but 
it is more productive, always free from disease, will grow 
almost in any soil or situation, and will stand the winter 
m light soils wherever a Parsnip crop will stand; for 




Fig. 28.— JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE. 

these reasons it has been suggested that it might prove a 
valuable food for cattle, or pigs, who eat it as freely as 
potatoes, when boiled. 

There are several varieties known as Hed^ Purple^ Yel- 
low^ and White Skinned. 



BASIL. — (Ocimum Basilicum.) 

An herb of a highly aromatic odor, and a strong flavor 
of cloves. It is used for flavoring soups, stews, and 
sauces, and is by some used in salads. Its culture is the 
same as that of other sweet herbs. The seed should be 
sown in the open ground^ and not in frames, which is the 
English practice, and necessary there from their colder 
climate. Sow in rows 1 foot apart ; when 3 or 4 inches 
high, it may be transplanted in rows 1 foot apart, and 6 
inches between plants. If a small quantity only is re- 
quired, it may be thinned out in the seed rows, and left to 
grow where sown. 



VEGETABLES BEAN. 101 

There are two species cultivated, namely, the Common 
Sweet Basil, {Ocimum JBasilicum)^ and the Bush Basil, 
(0. minimum). 



BALM. — {Melissa officinalis.) 

Another well-known aromatic herb, which has a very- 
agreeable lemon-like odor. It is used as a tea for its sooth- 
ing effect in irritations of the throat and lungs, and a cen- 
tury ago was used as a specific for coughs and colds. Its 
young shoots are sometimes used as an ingredient in 
salads. It is rapidly propagated by divisions of the root, 
which, planted in spring, at 1 foot apart each way, will 
form a solid mass by fall. 

Besides the common kind, we have now in cultivation 
a beautiful variegated variety, possessing all the properties 
of the other. 



BEAN. — [Phaseolus nanus.) — Bush, Kidney, or Snap. 

A leading vegetable of our market gardens, and ex- 
tensively cultivated in every section of the country, 
North and South. Although it can be grown on soils that 
are not enriched by manure, yet, like almost every other 
vegetable, it is more profitable when grown on highly cul- 
tivated land. It is, what we term, a "tender" plant; 
that is, one that will be killed by the action of slight 
frosts, hence it is not pUnted until late enough in the 
spring, to secure it from the risk. As in a country pre- 
senting such differences of temperature as ours, no stated 
date can be given at which to sow, perhaps no safer rule 



102 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

can be adopted for sowing all "tender" vegetables for all 
parts of the country, than the time at which our great sta- 
ple, Indian Corn, is planted. This rule will be equally in- 
telligible to the inhabitants of Maine and to those of Soutli 
Carolina, for all plant Corn and know, that our s^reat 
enemy .to early vegetation, "Jack Frost," will, without 
scruple, smite this "tender" vegetable if it be forced to 
grow before his icy reign is past. In this section, we plant 
Beans for first crop when we plant Corn, from 10th to 20th 
May. But as the crop of Beans comes rapidly to maturity, 
under favorable circumstances, in five or six weeks, it may 
be sown any time from these dates until July, August, or 
September, according to the temperature of the district. 

The culture in market gardens, is simply to draw drills 
about 3 inches deep, and from 18 inches to 2 feet apart, 
according to the richness of the soil ; the poorer the soil, 
the closer they can be planted. The seed is dropped in 
the drills 2 or 3 inches apart, and the soil covered in on 
them with the feet ; this we find to be a quicker and bet- 
ter method of covering in seeds of this size, than by the 
hoe or rake. After the plants have grown an inch or 
two, a cultivator is run between the rows, which gener- 
ally is all that is necessary to be done, until they are 
large enough to have a little earth thrown to each side of 
the row by the plow, which completes their cultivation. 
Beans, like Tomatoes and Peas, are easy of cultivation, and 
not at all particular to soil, and are, in consequence, rarely 
a profitable crop in the locality in which they are grown ; 
hence the only way in which they are made ptofitable is, 
by growing South and shipping North, they being easily 
transported. Large quantities are growni in early soils 



VEGETABLES BEAN. 103 

in southern sections of the country, and shipped to our 
large northern cities, and meet a rapid sale, at prices that 
must pay a large profit, if their manner of growing the 
crop is as simple as ours. It will be understood that thi 
crop is almost exclusively sold in pod, as snap shoots, (in 
the green unripened state), by the hucksters, and rarely 
as a shell bean. 

The varieties are now very numerous, but the following, 
placed in what we consider the order of their value to the 
market gardener, will embrace variety enough for all 
practical purposes. 

Early Valentine. — Early, productive, tender, succulent, 
and of excellent flavor ; continuing longer in the green 
state than most of the varieties. Seeds, when ripe, sal- 
mon, speckled with purplish-rose. This variety is often 
marketable in six weeks from the time of sowing in May. 

China* — Rather earlier than the preceding, but hardly 
so productive ; the' pods become yellow quicker, which 
makes it not so valuable as a market variety. It is, how- 
ever, grown by some in preference to the Valentine, it be- 
ing considered a few days earlier. Seeds, when ripe, 
white purple, speckled. 

Mohawk. — This variety is the most suitable for north- 
ern latitudes, as it is less susceptible of injury from cold 
than most of the others ; it is very productive, with pods 
5 or 6 inches long, but is not recommended as an early 
variety. Seeds drab, variegated with purple spots. 

Refugee,, or Thousand to One. — Very productive, 
though not early ; young pods extremely tender and of 
fine flavor. This variety is very extensively grown for 



104 GA.RDENING FOR PROFIT. 

pickling, and has long been a standard sort. Seeds, dull 
yellow, speckled with purple. 

Kewington Wonder. — A wonderfully productive sort, 
and one of the most popular of all varieties for private 
use, the pods being particularly crisp and tender ; the 
most valued forcing variety. Seeds light brown, lined 
with yellow. 

White Marrowfat, — This variety is the one so exten 
sively grown for sale in the dry state ; it is also valued as 
a string bean, but is used to greater extent shelled, either 
green or dried. Seeds large, ivory white. 

Turtle Soup. — This receives its name from some fancied 
resemblance that soup made from the ripe beans, has to 
that made from the turtle. It is a late variety, requiring 
the whole season in the Northern States to ripen its seeds. 
Seeds small, glossy black ; generally used when ripe. 



VEAS^—iP^i^eolus vulga/riSy e^c.)— Running, or Pole. 

These require rather more care in culture than the 
Bush Beans. The soil best suited is sandy loam, which 
should be liberally enriched with short manure in the hills, 
which are formed, according to the variety, from 3 to 4 
feet apart, and provided with a stake from 8 to 9 feet in 
hight, set in the centre of each. This class of beans is 
particularly tender, and it is perfectly useless to plant the 
seeds before the weather has become settled and warm 
in spring, as they are almost certain to rot, and even 
should they not, the plant makes no growth, unless in un- 
interrupted warm weather. In this district, they sh(^ "Jd 



VEGETABLES BEAN. 105 

never be planted out until a week or more after the plant- 
ing of Bush Beans ; if planted at the same time, 10th of 
May, they are almost certain to fail. 

From five to six seeds are planted in each hill, about 2 
biches deep. Being a vegetable requiring considerable 
expense in growing, staking, picking, etc., it brings a cor- 
respondingly high price p jr acre in market ; but maturing 
during the heat of summer, the advantage of earliness in 
this crop is not so manifest as in many others. The prof- 
its per acre average about $250, when sold for consump- 
tion in the locality in which it is grown. Shipped from 
earlier sections it, no doubt, would double the above 
amount. There are many varieties, but only a few of 
leading value. 

Limae — {Phaseolus lunatus,) — This is almost universally 
grown both for market, and for private use. It is esteem 
ed the best of all the pole beans. 

Small Lima^ or Sievat — A variety of the preceding, 
differing in flavor from the common Lima, and by some 
much: preferred. Habit of the plant similar. Seeds 
white ; very productive. 

Asparagus Bean. — This variety is most suitable for a 
warm climate, as it takes a long season to grow; pods, 
when full grown, are from 12 to 15 inches long; they are 
nsed as string beans, or for pickling in the green state ; it 
is not used as a shelled bean, being much inferior to the 
Lima. 

Dutch Case Knife. — A very productive variety, with 
long and broad pods ; it is of excellent flavor, and next 
to the Lima, is the best market sort. 
5* 



106 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

London Horticultural, — A very popular variety for 
private use, as it is equally serviceable in the green state, 
or, when mature enough, to shell. Seeds oval, marbled 
with purplish-brown. 

Scarlet Runner. — {Phaseolus coccmeus.) — A great 
favorite in European gardens, both as an ornamental 
plant, and a useful vegetable. It grows to the hight of 9 
or 10 feet, producing dazzling scarlet flowers, from July 
to October. Used as string beans, and shelled. Seeds 
lilac, mottled with black. 

White Runner. — Similar in all respects to the above, 
except in color of flowers and seeds. 

Red and White Cranberry. — These are intermediate 
in season of maturing. Very popular sorts, used either 
as string beans or shelled. 



"BEET,— {Beta vulgaris.) 

This is one of the leading and most valuable crops of 
our market gardens, and next to Cabbages, is perhaps the 
most extensively grown as an early crop. The soil best 
suited, is that which is rather light than otherwise, always 
provided that it is thoroughly enriched by manure. We 
make little difierence in the manner of working or manur 
ing the ground for any of our leading early crops ; the 
ground must, in all cases, be thoroughly pulverized by 
plowing, subsoiling, and harrowing, and when stable ma- 
nure can be procured, plowed in at the rate of 75 or 100 
tons per acre. If stable manure cannot be had, the next 
best substitutes must be used in the quantities specified- 



VEGETABLES BEET. 107 

isee Chapter on Manures. As early in spring as the ground 
becomes fit to work, the Beets are usually sown in rows 
1 foot apart, made by the " marker," about 3 inches deep. 
We prefer to sow rather thickly, not less than 8 lbs. per 
acre, for the reason that late frosts often kill off a portion 
of the young plants, but when sown thickly, enough is 
generally left to make a crop, which amply repays the dif- 
ference of a few pounds of seed. After sowing, the drills 
are covered in by the feet, by walking along the rows, af- 
ter the bed is completed ; if the weather is dry, the whole 
is rolled, which better firms the soil around the seed and 
also leaves the ground level, making it easier to be hoed. 
Beets are occasionally planted 2 feet apart, and the inter- 
vening row sown with Radishes; the Radishes mature 
early, and are used or sold off soon enough to admit of 
more room for the Beet crop. It makes with us bat lit- 
tle difference in the profits of the crop which way it is 
done, the results being nearly the same in each case; but 
in places where limited quantities of vegetables only can 
be disposed of, perhaps the latter plan is the best. The 
young Beets are thinned out to 6 inches apart when the 
rows are 1 foot apart, but when at 2 feet to only 4 inches, 
as they have more space between the rows for air. The 
thinnings of the Beets are used like Spinach, and when 
carefully handled, the thinnings will always sell for more 
than the price of the labor of thinning the crop. 

In this neighborhood, Beets sown first week in April, 
are begun to be marketed the first week in June, and en- 
tirely cleared off by July 1st, when the ground is prepar- 
ed for the second crop. It will be understood that they 
are at this early date sold in an immature state, before the 



108 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

root has reached complete development, but the great 
point is earliness ; the public bemg well satisfied to pay- 
more for it half-grown, if early, than when full grown, if 
late. 

This crop I have always considered a very profitable 
one, even at the seemingly low price of $1 per 100 roots, 
the average wholesale price in New York markets. But 
80,000 roots are grown per acre when sown at 1 foot apart, 
and although the labor of pulling and bunching up is 
greater than in some crops, yet, at $1 per 100, it will give 
an easy profit of $400 per acre. 

Beets are an excellent article to ship, and the price paid 
in New York, for the first lots from Savannah and Norfolk, 
etc., is often as high as $3 per 100 roots. 

The foregoing all relates to the crop in the green state 
for an early market, but they are also extensively grown 
for use in fall, winter, and spring. For this they are usu- 
ally sown later, often in some sections as a second crop, as 
late as July 1st, although in the Northern States the roots 
hardly develop enough when sown 
after June. The manner of saving 
them in winter, will be found under 
the head of Preserving Vegetables 
in Winter. 

The really useful varieties of Beets 

are very limited in number, and are 

embraced in the following, arranged 

Tig. ^9.— SHORT-TOP as usual, according to their merit as 

ROUND BEET. market sorts. 

Short-top Round. — This variety originated with us 

about ten years ago ; it differs from the common Blood 




VEGETABLES BEET. 



109 



Turnip Beet, in being rather flatter, freer from roots, and 
what is of main importance, shorter in top ; it is not quite 
so early as the Bassano, but being of richer color, it at 
once supplants it in market, soon as it comes in, which is 
usually in three or four days after that variety. 

Bassano* — The earliest of all known varieties; outside 
color liglit red ; flesh white, veined with pink. Its earli- 
ness is its only merit, as it is coarser than 
the deep colored varieties. The propor- 
tionate quantity sown for market pur- 
poses, should not be more than one-sixth 
of the preceding. 

Pine Apple* — An excellent variety of 
rich deep crimson color, pine apple shap- 
ed, and nearly equal in earliness to 
the Short Top Round. 

Long Smooth Blood,— A great im- 
provement on the Common Blood Beet, 
being less strong and freer from root- 
lets, besides being a week earlier. It 
is now grown here to the entire ex- 
clusion of the other. The market de- 
mand, however, for early crop, requires 
twice the quantity of Round to Long ; 
for late sales of barreled roots, exactly the reverse. 

Swiss Chard* — Is a distinct species from the Beet grown 
for its roots, knoAvn to botanists as Beta cida. It is cul- 
tivated solely for its leaves. The mid-rib of leaf is stewed 
as Asparagus, the other portions of the leaf being used as 
Spinach. The outer leaves are pulled off as in gathering 
Rhubarb. It is largely grown in France and Switzerland. 




Fig. 30. —PINE AP- 
PLE BEET. 



110 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

In this country, it is now cultivated to some extent in 
private gardens only. Its handsome foliage is as attrac- 
tive as many of our prized flower-garden " leaf plants," 
and no doubt it would be much valued if we could only 
regard it without the idea that it is only a Beet. 



BORECOLE OR KALK—iBrassiea oleracea. Yar,) 

A variety of this receiving the rather indefinite term 
of '' Sprouts," is extensively grown for the Northern mar- 
kets, many acres of it being cultivated in the vicinity 
of New York. It is sown in the month of September, in 
rows 1 foot apart, treated in every way as Spinach, and is 
ready for use in early spring. It is difficult to keep in 
some soils in winter ; those of rather a light nature being 
the best. When successfully wintered over, it is a very 
profitable crop, not unfrequently selling for $500 per acre. 
The variety thus grown, is known' in the seed stores as 
Dwarf German Greens. Another class of it is cultivated 
as we grow late Cabbage; it is sown in the open ground 
in May, and planted out at distances, according to the va- 
riety, from 2 to 3 feet apart. Of all the Cabbage tribe 
this is the most tender and delicate, and it is surprising 
that it has never yet been wanted in quantity enough to 
make it a marketable vegetable, not one head being sold 
to one thousand of the coarse winter Cabbage. The va- 
rieties are very numerous ; those below described are all 
standard sorts. 

Dwarf German Greens, or " Sprouts,^' — Color blueish- 



VEGETABLES — BORECOLE. 



Ill 



green, slightly colored, resembling somewhat the foliage 
of Ruta Baga Turnips ; it is of delicate flavor, and every- 
way desirable. The popular market sort. 

Green Curled Scotch.— A rather dwarf variety, rarely 
exceeding 18 inches in hight, but spreading, when under 
good cultivation, to 3 feet in diameter. The leaves are 




Fig. 31. — GERMAN GREENS. 

beautifully curled, and of a bright green. This variety is 
very hardy, and will remain over winter in any place 
where the temperature does not fall below zero ; it is mo;st 
tender after being touched by sharp frost. 

Purple Borecole. — Similar to the above in all respects 
except color, which is of a dull purple. It is the variety 
most esteemed by the Germans; it is very hardy, and is 
often seen in the markets of New York as late as January, 



112 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

Brown Borecole* — Leaves brown, as the name indi- 
cates ; merely a sub-variety of the purple, being in all re- 
spects the same, except in color. 

Cottagers' Kale. — ^A comparatively new variety, a great 
favorite in England. It is dwarf, not exceeding 12 inch- 
es ; leaves rich green, double curled and " feathered " al 
most to the ground. Very hardy, and a most profitable 
sort, more weight being grown in the same space than 
with any other variety. 



BROCCOLI. — (Brassica oleracea. Var,) 

This vegetable is so closely allied to Cauliflower, that it 
seems absurd to have ever divided them under different 
heads. Still we persist in growing them under the names 
of Broccoli and Cauliflower, the Broccoli being planted for 
fall use. Cauliflower, on the other hand, being mostly 
planted for summer use, although it is well known that 
their seasons might be reversed without any marked dif- 
ference in the results. Like all of the Cabbage tribe, 
Broccoli, to grow it in perfection, requires the soil to be in 
the highest possible degree of fertility. The seed should 
be sown, in this district, in the early part of May, which 
will give plants large enough to be transplanted in July. 
Farther south the sowing should be delayed until June g»; 
July, and the transplanting delayed accordingly until 
August, September, or October. There is no doubt that in 
parts of the country where the thermometer does not fall 
below 20*^ or 25°, that Broccoli may be had in perfection 
from November until March. A necessary condition of 



VEGETABLES— BROCCOLI. 1 1^ 

perfect development, is a moist and rather cool atmosphere ; 
for this reason we only get the crop in fine condition, in 
this district, during the cool and moist months of October 
and November. Owing often, however, to heat or dry- 
ness in the months of August and September, the crop be- 
comes an entire failure, and for this reason, for market 
purposes, it is rather hazardous. When a good crop is 
made, however, it is very profitable, rarely bringing less 
than $12 per 100, or about $1000 per acre. The plants 
of most of the varieties are planted 2| by 1| feet, or about 
10,000 plants per acre. 

In this district, for market purposes, we confine ourselves 
to the first two varieties named below ; the other two, 
however, are occasionally grown for family use. 

White Cape« — Heads of medium size, close, compact, 
and of a creamy white color ; one of the most certain to 
head. 

Purple Cape. — Nearly similar in all respects to the 
White Cape, except in color, which is greenish-parple. 
This variety is rather hardier than the preceding, but its 
color renders it of less value in market. White heads of 
the same quality bringing $1 to $2 more per 100. This is 
mere matter of fancy in the buyers, however, as when 
cooked there is but little difference in its appearance from 
the White, and none whatever in the flavor. 

Early Walcheren. — ^This variety seems to produce its 
heads earlier than the preceding, but they are not usually 
so heavy or compact. 

Knights' Protecting, — ^This variety is of dwarf habit, 
much esteemed by private gardeners for preserving in 
frames or cellars, for late winter use. When lifted and 



114 



GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



planted in boxes of earth in a cellar or in cold pits or 
frames, even as late as November, fine heads may be had 
until January. 



BRUSSELS STROJITS—iBrasszca oleracea. Var.) 
This vegetable has never come into general use in this 
country, pi'obably owing to its being too tender to stand 

the winters of the North- 
ern States. Still, by sow- 
ing in April or May, and 
planting out in July, it 
may be had in fine condi- 
tion until December; and 
in the Southern States, 
may be had in use from 
November to March. Even 
in England, where it is 
very extensively grown, it 
is not much raised for mar- 
ket, being mainly cultivat- 
ed for private use. Its 
cultivation is very simple, 
and it can be grown on 
almost any soil. Plant 
about 2 feet apart, and 
Fig. 33.-BRUSSELS SPROUTS. cultivatc as for Cabbages. 

There is only one kind, which is distinguished from all 
other varieties of the Cabbage tribe by the sprouts or 
buds, about the size of walnuts, which grow thickly around 
the stem ; these sprouts are the parts used, and are equal 
in tenderness and flavor to Cauliflower or Broccoli. 




VEGETABLES CAULIFLOWER. 115 

CAJJLlFLOWEB,.—{Srassica oleracea. Var,) 

As we remarked in the chaptefr on Broccoli, Cauliflower 
is mostly grown as a spring or summer crop, and as all 
such are more profitable, and consequently of more interest 
to the grower than crops maturing in fall, we will give its 
culture more at length. 

Any soil that will grow early Cabbages, will grow Caul- 
iflower, as their requu-ements are almost similar; but as 
the product is more valuable, extra manuring and prepara- 
tion of the soil will be well re-paid. In situations where 
irrigation could be practised, it would be of great benefit 
in dry weather. We have occasionally found, when our beds 
were convenient to water, that even watering by hand has 
been of advantage. But few or no other crops of our gar- 
dens will re-pay that labor. The seeds of Cauliflower, 
(that we wish to be ready for market in June), are sown in 
the'fall previous, between the 10th and 20th of September. 
In the course of four or five weeks the plants are trans- 
planted into frames, in the manner described in the chapter 
headed " Uses and Management of Cold Frames ; " but as 
they are rather more tender than Cabbage or Lettuce 
plants, we find it necessary to have the glass protected by 
straw-mats at night during winter. In cases where it is 
not convenient or practicable to have the plants thus win- 
tered over, they can be had nearly or quite as well by sow- 
ing the seed in the hot-bed, or vegetable forcing house, in 
January or February, and transplanting the plants at 2 or 
3 inches apart in boxes or in the soil of another hot-bed, 
until such time as they are safe to be planted in the open 
ground, which, with us, is usually from 15th of March to 
10th of April. If properly hardened off, they are rarely 



116 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

injured by being planted out too early. It must be borne 
in mind that the plant is nearly hardy, and that 10 or 15 
degrees of frost will not injure it, provided it has been 
treated as its hardy nature requires, by having been ex- 
posed to the air previous to setting out in the open gar- 
den. I know that the general practice with amateur hor- 
ticulturists is very different from this, and that their usual 
time of planting Cauliflower is when they plant Tomatoes, 
and in consequence, failure is almost universal The plant, 
set out in May, hardly gets root before hot weather sets 
in, and if the flower head is developed at all, it is merely 
an abortion of what it should be. With me, for the past 
four or five years. Cauliflowers have been one of my most 
profitable crops. I have during that time grown about 
one acre each year, which has certainly averaged $1500. 
On one occasion the crop proved almost an entire failure, 
owing to unusual drouth in May ; while on another oc- 
casion, with an unusually favorable season, it sold at nearly 
$3000 per acre. 

The average price for all planted is about $15 per 100, 
and as from 10,000 to 12,000 are grown to the acre, it will 
result in nearly the average before named — $1500 per 
acre. Unlike Cabbages, however, only a limited number 
is yet sold, and I have found that an acre of them has 
been quite as much as could be profitably grown in one 
garden. Cauliflowers require careful handling to be mar- 
keted in good shape ; after being trimmed of all surplus 
leaves, they are packed in boxes holding about 100 each, 
and are generally sold to retailers in this shape, without 
being removed from the packages. This early crop is al- 
ways sold by the first week of July, allowing plenty time to 



VEGETABLES CAULIFLOWER. 



117 



get in second crops of Celery, etc. ; but when wanted for 
fall or winter use, its treatment is the same in all respects 
as that of Broccoli. Like all our market garden products, 
we grow only a very limited number of varieties, and these 
such as are suited to our climate here ; some of the most 
popular English sorts being perfectly worthless with us» 
Early Erfurtt — This is our favorite sort, being a dwari 
compact growing kind, producing uniformly large heads ; 

the leaves grow more up- 
right than in any other 
variety , consequently it 
can be planted closer, 24 
inches by 15 inches, while 
most of the other sorts re- 
quire 28 inches by 18 inch- 
es. This variety is com- 
paratively new, and the 
seeds are very scarce and 
high priced. 

Early Paris. — This well- 
known variety stands next 
on the list; it is equally 
meritorious in all respects to the Erfurt, except that it re- 
quires more space to grow in. 

Half Early. — A variety that is very useful for a succes- 
sion crop. The great difficulty with Cauliflowers for mar- 
ket is, that the whole crop comes in and must be sold in 
tlie space of two weeks, unless we have varieties that come 
on in succession. 

Wellington. — Recently introduced ; forms a flower head 
of immense size ; we have measured them 13 inches in di- 




Fig. 33. — EARLY ERFURT CAULI- 
FLOWER. 



118 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

ameter. It is, however, a large foliaged variety, and 
would require considerable space to grow in; for this 
reason it will not likely become a popular market variety. 



CABBAGE. — Early. — {Brassica oleracea.) 
1 The early varieties of Cabbage are cultivated more ex- 
teiisively than any other vegetable We grow. If they 
do not occupy a larger number of acres, they certainly 
sell for a much larger amount than any other crop. They 
are also generally considered to be the most profitaNe of 
all crops of our gardens on congenial soils. Experience 
in a great variety of soils in the cultivation of this crop, 
shows that what is known as heavy sandy loam, overlay- 
ing a porous subsoil, is the best adapted to it. Along the 
sea shore, for about one mile inland, we have often an ad- 
mixture of oyster and other shells in the soil ; wherever 
such is found, there, with proper cultivation. Cabbage 
can be raised in the highest degree of perfection. The 
large amount of lime in the soil, produced by the gradual 
decay of the shell, is not only congenial to the growth of 
the Cabbage tribe, but is certainly destructive to the larva 
of the insect which is known to produce club-root. In 
such soils, where in some instances Cabbages have been 
grown for fifty consecutive years, club-root is never seen. 
It is plain from this then, that lime is indispensable in the 
cultivation of this crop, and that if not naturally found in 
the soil, it must be applied. The most profitable applica- 
tion, I have found to be the flour of bone ; a detail of 
some experiments with which will be found in the Chap- 
ter on " Insects." 



VEGETABLES — CABBAGE. 119 

The preparation of the ground for Cabbage differs m 
nothing from that for all the regular market garden crops, 
— careful plowing and subsoiling, and manuring with sta- 
ble or barn-yard manure when procurable, at the rate of 75 
tons per acre, alternating this with guano, etc., in the 
quantities named under the head of " Manures." 

The early varieties of Cabbage are planted out in spring, 
as soon as the ground is dry enough to work ; in the lati- 
tude of New York, from 15th March to 15th April. The 
distance apart is from 24 to 28 inches between the lines, 
and 16 inches between the plants in rows. At the same 
time that we plant out Cabbage or Cauliflower, between 
the lines are planted Lettuce, at 12 inches apart. To 
repay such expensive manuring and cultivation, every inch 
must be made to tell. 

The Lettuce is ready for market by the middle of May, 
and is cut off before the Cabbage is large enough to in- 
jure it. ^ The ground is now clear of the Lettuce, and the 
whole space is occupied by the Cabbages, which are all 
sold off before the middle of July ; the greater part in 
fact by the end of June, which gives the necessary time for 
second crops. The raising of the plants is done in various 
ways, according to the differences of climate, and also of 
the market requirements in different sections. In lati- 
tudes where the thermometer never indicates 20^ below 
the freezing point. Cabbage plants may be sown in the 
open border in October, and planted out at the distances 
named, on the first opening of spring ; but in our North- 
ern States, they must either be sown in hot-beds in Feb- 
ruary, (see instructions in Chapter on Hot-beds) or what 
is still better, wintered over in cold frames. For this pur- 



120 GABDENING FOR PROFIT. 

pose the seed is sown from the 10th to the 20th of Sep- 
tember ; strict attention to date is important ; if too soon, 
the plants might run to seed, and if too late, they would 
be too small. In about four or five weeks from the time of 
sowing, they will be fit to transplant into the cold frames, 
from 500 to 600 being put under a sash 3 by 6 feet. In 
planting, it is very important with Cabbage or Cauliflow- 
er, that the plant is set down to the first leaf, so that the 
stem or stalk is all under ground, for we find that if ex- 
posed, it will be split by the action of the frost, and will 
be injured in consequence. Instructions regarding win- 
ter treatment, will be found under the head of " Cold 
Frames." I have before stated that, from the extent to 
which Early Cabbage is cultivated, it is one of the most 
important crops grown. It is also by far the most profit- 
able, on a large scale, and no grower here, whose ground 
has not been fitted to produce it properly, has ever been 
very successful; it requires but little labor, and is always 
readily disposed of at profitable rates. At the distance 
planted, fi'om 12,000 to 13,000 are grown per acre, the av- 
erage price of which, at wholesale, is $50 per 1000, or 
about 1600 per acre. 

We allude to varieties here with some hesitation, as it 
is unquestionable that soil or climate has much to do in 
determining the merits of varieties in difierent localities 
As the best that I can do in the matter, I adopt the usual 
plan I have adhered to throughout, and place first on the 
list those we find to have the greatest general merit. 

Jersey Wakefield, — This variety is said to have been 
first grown by Francis Brill, then of Jersey City, N. J., 
some twenty-five years ago, from a package of seed receiv- 



VEGETABLES CABBAGE. 



121 



ed from England under the name of Early Wakefield, and 
has been kept in tlie immediate locality almost ever since. 
We have experimented with scores of varieties in that 
time, and find nothing equal to it. It is quite a shy seed- 
ing sort, and on several occasions enough seed could not 
be procured to meet the demands of the growers, and 

then it has repeatedly sold 
as high as $20 per lb., or 
quite five times the rate of 
other sorts. True, we have 
it quoted in the English seed 
lists as low as other vari- 
eties, but repeated trials of 
almost every kind named in 
their catalogues, too well 
told us that the Early Wake- 
field, as we know it, was no 
longer procurable in Eng- 
land. The merit of this variety consists in its large size 
of head, small outside foliage, and its uniformity in 
producing a crop. The heads are pyramidal, having 
rather a blunted or rounded peak ; color glaucous 
green. 

Early York, — This well-known variety is more univer- 
sally cultivated than all others ; in earliness it is quite 
equal to the Wakefield, but is inferior in size, and for mar- 
ket purposes, with us, would not sell for much more than 
half the price of the Wakefield. Heads small, roundish- 
oval ; color pea-green. 

Large Vorki— -Similar to the above, but larger in all its 
6 




Fi- 34. - 



-JERSEY WAKEFIELD 
CABBAGE. 



122 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

parts ; it is grown to a considerable extent in the South 
and South-west. 

Early Ox Heart, — This, next to the Wakefield, used 
to be our favorite sort for market purposes, and although 
equal in earliness and size, Avas found not be so uniform in 
heading ; for family culture it is, however, a very valuable 
variety, as it is one of the best flavored and tender. 

Early Wiimin^Stadt. — Should hardly be claimed as 
early, as it is quite three weeks later than any of the 
above, but it is an excellent sort where earliness is not an 
object, as it heads uniformly, and is of large size, often 
weighing 20 lbs. It is a very distinct variety ; head pyra- 




Fig. 35. — EARLY FLAT DUTCH CABBAGE. 

midal; the outer leaves spiral and spreading, which re- 
quires it to be planted wider than the early sorts. For 
this reason, together with its lateness, it is not a favorite 
in gardens where two crops are grown in one season. 

Early Flat Dutch. — A very dwarf variety with large 
round head, almost flat on the top ; it is a very excellent 



rEGETABLES CABBAGE. 123 

variety for h succession crop, being two or three weeks 
behind the earliest sorts. Though not more than 8000 or 
9000 can be planted on an acre, yet, as it comes in just 
when the glut is over, it rarely sells for less than $12 per 
100. Its lateness, however, prevents the getting in of a 
second crop, and it is consequently not largely grown. 



CAEBAGE.—Late. 

The manner of cultivating Late Cabbage is not quite 
80 expensive as that for Early, and as a consequence, the 
receipts for the crop are correspondingly low. In fact, it 
is often sold at prices that would not more than repay the 
price of manure and labor expended on the early crop. But 
as it can be raised with much less manure and labor, and 
on land less valuable, it is extensively grown in the neigh- 
borhood of all our large cities, rather, however, by farm- 
ers than by gardeners. The seed is sown usually in the 
early part of May, and the plants set out in July, at dis- 
tances of 3 feet between the rows, and 2 feet between the 
plants. The crop is almost exclusively worked by the cul- 
tivator or plow, one hoeing usually sufficing around the 
plants. In Long Island, N. Y., they are set out in July, 
on the ground from which early Potatoes or Peas have 
been grown. About 10 tons of stable manure per acre is 
usually put in the rows over which the plants are set. The 
price averages about $40 per 1000; 6000 or 7000 are 
grown per acre, giving an average of, perhaps, $300 to the 
acre. Late Cabbage is extensively shipped during the fall 
months, from New Tork to southern ports. The hot and 



124 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

dry summers there preventing the raising of plants from 
seed. Recently, however, some of the growers in Charles- 
ton, Savannah, Richmond, and other cities, have discov- 
ered that it is more profitable to have the plants grown 
North, and to plant them in August or September, and 
grow them themselves. Many hundred thousands of 
plants of Cabbage, Cauliflower, and Celery, are now an- 
nually sent South in August. 

The varieties of Late Cabbage are not so numerous as 
the Early ; the best for general purposes are the following : 

Bergen Drumhead* — This is the variety grown for the 
general crop, it is of the largest size, sometimes almost 
round, though more generally flattened at the top. It is 
extremely hardy, and will withstand severe frosts without 
injury. In localities where there is not more than 15 or 
20 degrees of frost, it can be left out where grown all 
winter, but in the Northern States requires the protection 
as recommended in the chapter on " Preservation of Veg- 
etables in Winter." 

Preminm Flat Dutchi — A very handsome variety, dif- 
fering from the Drumhead in perfecting its head rather 
earlier in the fall, and for that reason is not quite so well 
adapted for winter use ; it is, however, much grown as an 
early fall soit. It is particularly tender, and superior in 
flavor to the Drumhead. 

Mason. — Sometimes called Stone Mason, in compliment 
to its extreme hardness, I suppose. Is rather a small va- 
riety for a late Cabbage, but this enables it to perfect its 
head in a short season, and for this reason it is recom- 
mended for extreme northern latitudes. 



VEGETABLES CABBACtE. 125 

Drumhead Savoy, — This variety is the largest of the 
Savoy Class, and is the sort most generally cultivated for 
market. The head is large, spherical, very solid and com- 
pact, of a yellowish-green; and like all others of the 
Savoy varieties, is of excellent flavor, far surpassing that 
of any late Cabbage. Still, such is the force of habit, that 
the public do not purchase one Savoy for every thousand 




Fig. 36. — DRUMHEAD SAVOY CABBAGE. 

of the coarse Drumhead class, although the difference in 
quality between the two is as great as between the fox 
grape of the woods and a cultivated Delaware. 

Green Globe Savoy, — Smaller in all respects than the 
preceding, of darker green, the leaves intensely wrinkled. 
The compact and rather upright growth of the lower 
leaves allows it to be planted quite as close as early Cab- 
bage, 24 inches by 18 inches. It is the favorite of all 
the varieties for family use. 

Red Dutch, — ^Is used almost exclusively for pickling; 



126 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

it is one of the hardiest of all Cabbages, and when pre* 
served as directed for the others, will keep later in the 
season than any other. It is slow to mature, however, 
and requires a richer soil for its perfect developmrnt. 



CARD ON. — ( Gynara cardunculiks) 

A vegetable that is but little grown, and then oftener 
as a novelty than for use. It belongs to the same family 
as the Artichoke, which it much resembles. The shoots, 
after blanching, are used in soups or in salads. It is cul- 
tivated by sowing the seeds in early spring, thinly, in rows 
3 feet apart, and thinning out to 18 inches between the 
plants. The plant attains its growth in early fall, when it 
is blanched by tying the leaves together so as to form an 
erect growth, after which it is earthed up, and preserved 
exactly as we do Celery. 



CARROT.— (-Daz^ct/s Garota,) 

This may be classed more as a crop of the farm than 
of the garden, as a far larger area is grown for the food 
of horses and cattle than for culinary purposes. Yet it is 
a salable vegetable in our markets, and by no means an 
unprofitable one to grow on lands not too valuable. It is 
not necessary that the land for this crop should be highly 
enriched. I have grown on sod land, (which had been 
turned over in fall), 300 barrels per acre, without a par- 



VEGETABLES CARROT. 127 

tide of manure, and three years after, the same land which 
had been brought up to our market garden standard 
of fertility, a very inferior crop; the land being too 
rich, induced a growth of tops rather than roots. In our 
market gardens, we sow in rows 14 inches apart, thinning 
out to 3 or 4 inches between the plants ; but on farm lands 
where space is not so valuable, they should be planted 18 
or 24 inches between the rows, and worked with the culti- 
vator. For early crops, we sow at the beginning of our first 
operations in spring, in the same manner as we sow Beets, 
as soon as the ground is thoroughly dry ; but for later 
crops, they may be sown any time, in this latitude, until 
the middle of June. This is one of the vegetables that re- 
quire a close watching, to see that it does not get envelop- 
ed with weeds, as in its early stage it is of comparatively 
feeble growth, and unless it is kept clean from the start, 
it is apt to get irrevocably injured. 

The usually prescribed quantity of seed per acre is 5 lbs., 
but I have always considered it safer to sow nearly double 
that quantity. In dry weather it germinates feebly, and 
not unfrequently, when seed comes up thinly, it is scorched 
off by the hot sun, and the saving of a few pounds of 
seed may entail the loss of half the crop. We prefer to 
sow all such crops by hand. 

The Carrot, like all other root crops, delights in a sandy 
loam, deeply tilled. Considerable quantities of the early 
varieties are sold, in our markets, in bunches, in a hal^ 
grown state, at prices equal to early Beets sold in the same 
manner. Sold in this state, they are highly profitable at 
the prices received, but only limited quantities can be dis- 
posed of. In the dry state, during fall and winter, they 



128 



GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



range from $1.50 to $2.50 per barrel, according to quality, 
and at these prices Avill yield double the profit of Pota- 
toes, as a farm crop. 

The varieties in general cultivation are limited. The 
favorite variety for all purposes is the 

Long Orange, — This is equally adapted 
for garden or farm culture ; it is of large 
size, fair specimens averaging 12 inches in 
length, with a diameter of 8 
inches at the top ; color orange- 
red, varying in depth of shade 
in difierent soils. 

Early Horn. — An old and 
favorite sort for an early crop, 
but not large enough to be 
suitable for general culture. 
It is the variety that is sold in 
our markets bunched up in the 
green state. It matures its root 
eight or ten days earlier than ^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ 
the preceding. It is also more tender, and 
is more valued than any other for culinary 
use. It may be grown closer than tlie 
ORANGE CARKOT. Long Oraugc, as its foliage is much shorter. 

Early French Horn. — This variety is used only for 
forcing in hot-beds or vegetable forcing house, its small 
foliage and short root, not unlike the Turnip Radish in 
shape, rendering it especially suitable for growing under 
glass. It is not yet very generally grown for market, thus 
forced, but what few have been grown, were quickly sold 




riir.38— EARLY 



Fisr^ST.— LONG 



VEGETABLES CHERVIL CELERY. 129 

at most profitable rates, $12 for the products of a 3x6 
sash, or about 5 cents a piece. 

White Belgian. — This is the most productive of all 
known varieties ; the lower part of the root is white, that 
growing above the ground, and exposed to the air, green. 

It is exclusively grown for stock, bearing nearly twice 
as much weight per acre as the Long Orange. Horses do 
not eat it quite so readily, however, and it is said to be 
less nutritious than the Red or Orange sorts. 



CHERVIL. —Turnip-rooted.— ( Ghcerophyllum bulbosum.) 

A vegetable of recent introduction, closely allied to the 
Parsnip, which it resembles in shape. It is of a grayish 
color ; the flesh is white and mealy, tasting something like 
the Sweet Potato. It is equally as hardy as the Parsnip, 
and in France, where it has been cultivated to a consider- 
able extent, is said to have yielded 6 tons per acre. It is 
one of the many plants that were experimented with in 
Europe as a substitute for the Potato, when it was feared 
that that root would be lost to us by disease. Its culture 
is in all repects similar to the Parsnip or Carrot ; it is en- 
tirely hardy in any latitude, and is rather improved by the 
action of the frost. It must be sown as early in spring 
as the soil is fit to work, it being slow; to germinate if the 
weather becomes hot and dry. 



CELERY.— (^jP^^'^^ graveolens.) 
I know of no vegetable on the cultivation of which 
there is so much useless labor expended with such unsatis- 
6* 



180 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

factory results, as Celery. Almost all private cultivators 
still think it necessary to dig out trenches, from 6 to 12 
inches deep, involving great labor and expense, and giv- 
ing a very inferior crop to that planted on the level sur- 
face, in the manner practised on hundreds of acres by the 
market gardeners in the vicinity of New York. 

Our manner of treating the Celery crop, of late years, 
is very much simplified. Instead of sowing the seed in a 
hot-bed or cold frame, as formerly, it is sown in the open 
ground as soon as the ground is fit to work in spring — 
here about first week in April — on a level piece of rich 
mellow soil, that has been specially prepared by thorough 
pulverizing and mixing with short stable manure. The 
bed being fined down by raking so that it is clear of stones 
and all inequalities, lines are drawn out by the "marker" 
8 or 9 inches apart, in beds of 8 rows in a bed, rubbing 
out every 9th line for an alley, on which to walk when 
weeding, etc. The seed should be sown rather thinly, 
one ounce being sufficient for every 20 feet in length of 
such a bed. After sowing, the bed should be rolled, or 
patted down with a spade, which will give the seed suf 
Jicient covering. 

As soon as the seeds of Celery begin to germinate, so 
that the rows can be traced, hoe lightly between the rows, 
and begin to pull out the weeds as soon as they can be 
seen. One day's work, at the proper time, will be better 
than a dozen after the seed bed gets enveloped with 
weeds, besides ensuring much finer plants. 

As the plants advance in growth, the tops are shorn ofi*, 
generally twice before the time of setting out, so as to in- 



VEGETABLES CELERY. 1 31 

duce a stocky growth ; plants, tlius treated, suffer less on 
being transplanted. 

Celery may be planted any time from middle of June 
to middle of August; but the time we most prefer is dur 
ing July, as there is but little gained by attempting it 
early. In fact, I have often s^een plants raised in hot-beds 
and planted out in June, far surpassed both in size and 
quality by those raised in the open ground and planted 
a month later. Celery is a plant requiring a cool moist 
atmosphere, and it is nonsense to attempt to grow it early, 
in our hot and dry climate ; and even when grown, it is 
not a vegetable that is ever very palatable until cool 
weather. This our market experience well proves, for al- 
though we always have a few bunches exposed for sale in 
August and September, there is not one root sold then for 
a thousand that are sold in October and November. Cel- 
ery is always grown as a " second crop " by us, that is, it 
follows after the spring crop of Beets, Onions, Cabbage, 
Cauliflower, or Peas, which are cleared off and marketed, 
at latest, by the middle of July ; the ground is then thor- 
oughly plowed and harrowed. No additional manure is 
used, as enough remains in the ground, from the heavy 
coat it has received in the spring, to carry through the 
crop of Celery. After the ground has been nicely pre- 
pared, lines are struck out on the level surface, 3 feet 
apart, and the plants set 6 inches apart in the rows. If 
the weather is dry at the time of planting, great care 
fihould be taken that the roots are properly "firmed." 
Our custom is, to turn back on the row, and press by the 
side of each plant gently with the foot. This compacts 
the soil and partially excludes the air from the root until 



132 



GARDENING FOR TROFIT. 



new rootlets are formed, which will usually be in forty- 
eight hours, after which all danger is over. This practice 
of pressing the soil closely around the roots is essential in 
planting of all kinds, and millions of plants are annually 
destroyed by its omission. After the planting of the Cel- 
ery is completed, nothing further is to be done for six or 
seven weeks, except running through between the rows 
with the cultivator or hoe, and freeing the plants of weeds 
until they get strong enough to crowd them down. This 
Avill bring us to about the middle of August, by which 




39,— CELERY AFTER "HANDLING.' 



time we usually have that moist and cool atmosphere es- 
sential to the growth of Jeleiy. Then we begin the " earth- 
ing up," necessary for blanching or whitening that which 
is wanted for use during the months of SeiDtember, Octo- 
ber, and November. The first operation is that of '' hand- 
ling," as we term it, that is, after the soil has been drawn 
up agahist the plant with the hoe, it is further drawn close 
around eacli plant by the hand, firm enough to keep the 
leaves in an upright position and prevent them from 
spreading, which Avill leave them as shown in fig. 39. 



VEGETABLES — CELERY. 



133 



This being done, more soil is drawn against the row, (either 
by the plow or hoe, as cii'cumstances require), so as to 
keep the plant in this upright position. The blanching 
process must, however, be finished by the spade, which is 
done by digging the soil from betw^een the rows and 
banking it up clear to the top on each side of the row of 
Celery, as in fig. 40. Three feet is ample distance be- 
tween tlie dwarf varieties, but when '' Seymour's Superb," 




- li' 



Fig. 40. — CELERY EARTHED UP. 



" Giant," or other large sorts are used, the width between 
the rows must be at least 4| or 5 feet, which entails much 
more labor and loss of ground. For the past eight years 
I have grown none but the dwarf varieties, and have saved 
in consequence at least one-half in labor, and one-third in 
ground, while the average price per root in market has 
been always equal and occasionally higher than for the 
tall growing sorts. 

My neighbors around me have at last got their eyes 
opened to the value of the dwarf sorts, and I think that 
a few years more will suffice to throw the large and coarse- 



134 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

flavored sorts, such as " Seymour's Superb," and " Giant," 
out of our markets. 

The preparation of the soil and planting of Celery for 
winter use, is the same in all repects, except that, what is 
intended for winter need never be " banked up " with the 
spade. It merely requires to be put through the handling 
process, to put it in a compact and upright position pre- 
paratory to being stowed away in winter quarters. This 
should not be done before the middle of September, or 
just long enough before the Celery is dug up, to keep it 
in the upright position. 

We have, however, another method which we have 
found to answer very well for the late crop, and it is one 
by which more roots can be grown on the same space 
and with less labor than by any other. It is simply to 
plant the Celery 1 foot apart, each way^ nothing farther be- 
ing required after planting, except twice or thrice hoeing 
to clear the crop of weeds until it grows enough to cover 
the ground. No handling or earthing up is required by 
this method, for, as the plants struggle for light, they nat- 
urally assume an upright position, the leaves all assuming 
the perpendicular instead of the horizontal, which is the 
condition essential before being put in winter quarters. 
This method is not quite so general with us as planting in 
rows, and it is perhaps better adapted for private gardens 
than for market ; as the plant is more excluded from the 
air, the root hardly attains as much thickness as by the 
other plan. 

Our manner of preserving it during winter is now very 
simple, but as the knowledge of the process is yet quite 
local, being confined almost exclusively to the Jersey 



VEGETABLES CELERY. 135 

market gardeners, I will endeavor to put it plain enough, 
so that my readers " may go and do likewise." In this 
locality we begin to dig up that which we intend for win- 
ter use about the end of October, and continue the work 
(always on dry days) until the 20th or 25th of November 
which is as late as we dare risk it out for fear of frost 
Let it be understood that Celery will stand quite a sharp 
frost, say 10 or even 15 degrees, while 20 or 25 degrees 
will destroy it. Hence experience has taught us, that the 
sharp frosts that we usually have during the early part of 
November, rarely hurt it, though often causing it to droop 
flat on the ground, until thawed out by the sun. It must, 
however, never be touched when in the frozen state, or it 
is almost certain to decay. The ground in which it is 
placed for winter use should be as dry as possible, or if 
not dry, so arranged that no wal ?r will remain in the 
trench. ' The trench should be dug as narrow as possible, 
not more than 10 or 12 inches wide, and of the depth ex- 
actly of the hight of the Celery ; that is, if the plant of 
the Celery be 2 feet in length, the depth of the drain or 
trench should be 2 feet also, llie Celery is now placed in 
the trench as near perpendicular as possible, so as to fill it 
up entirely, its green tops being on a level with the top 
of the trench. Figure 41 represents a section across a 
trench filled with Celery in the manner just described. 
No earth whatever is puf; to the roots other than what 
may adhere to them after being dug up. It being closely 
packed together, there is moisture enough always at the 
bottom of the trench to keep this plant, at the cool season 
of the year, from wilting. That which is put in trenches 
about the 25th of October, is usually ready to be taken 



136 



GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



up for use about the 1st of December, that a couple of 
weeks later, by 1st January, and the last (which we try 
always to defer to 15th or 20th November) may be used 
during the winter and until the 1st of April. For the 
first lot, no covering is required, but that for use daring 
the winter months, must be gradually covered up, from the 
middle of December, on until 1st of January, when it will 
require at least a foot of covering of some light, dry ma- 
terial — ^hay, straw, or leaves — the latter perhaps the best 




¥\^. 41,— CELERY STOPvED TOR WINTER. 

I have said the covering up should be gradual. This is 
very important, for if the full weight of covering is put on 
at once, it prevents the passing oif of the heat generated by 
the closely packed mass of Celery, and in consequence it 
to some extent " heats," and decay takes place. Covered 
up in this manner, it ^n be got out Avith ease, during the 
coldest weather in winter, and with perfect safety. These 
dates of operations, like all others named throughout, are 
for this latitude ; the cultivator must use his judgment 
carefully in this matter, to suit the section in which he is 
located. 



YEGETABLES CELERY. 137 

Regarding the profits of this crop I can speak from a 
very extensive experience in its culture, having cultivated 
an average of ten acres for the past eighteen years. For 
many years, in the early part of that time, it was, by no 
means, what we would now call a profitable crop. By 
persisting in raising the large growing sorts, and the awk- 
ward and expensive mode we had then of working it, we 
were satisfied if it gave us a profit of $50 or $75 per acre. 
But for the last six or eight years, by adopting the flat 
culture, and the drain or trench system for winter storage, 
it has done much better, and is now a very profitable 
'* second crop," averaging a clear profit of $300 per acre, 
though it rarely brings over $3 per 100 roots. No doubt, 
in many parts of the country, it would be much more prof- 
itable than in the crowded markets of New York, li is 
shipped from here in all directions ; to Philadelphia (large- 
ly), Baltimore and Washington, (South), and to New- 
port, Providence, Hartford and New Haven, (East). It is 
a bulky and expensive article to ship, and the dealer must 
realize more than double on the purchase, or it will not 
pay his risk. It must thus cost the consumer, in these 
towns to which we send it, 8 or 10 cents a head, a price at 
which it would pay a clear profit of $1000, or $1500 per 
acre. 

If the awkward and laborious systems of cultivation 
still persisted in for the growing of Celery, is a mistake, the 
continued use of the tall growing and coarse varieties, 
we believe to be even a far greater one. The kinds that 
should be grown, either for private or market use, are 
Very limited. 

Incomparable Dwarf, — This, so far, is decidedly our 



188 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

best variety ; under good cultivation it attains a higlit of 
2 feet, and a circumference of 12 inches ; it is perfectly- 
solid, the stalks half round, the leaves and stems being 
rather light green. When blanched, it is a yellowish- 
white, crisp, tender, and of a most agreeable nutty flavor. 
The great advantage of this, and other dwarf sorts, over 
the large kinds, is, that nearly every part of the plant is 
fit to eat when blanched ; for instance if in the dwarf va- 
rieties the length is only 2 feet, and in large sorts 3 feet, 
the extra length of the large sort is unfit for use, being 
usually only an elongation of the outer leaves, the heart 
or edible part rarely rising more than 18 inches in the 
large sorts, while the dwarf sorts may be said to be all 
heart. This variety, for fall use^ is planted 3 feet be- 
tween the rows, by 6 inches between the plants, or nearly 
27,000 roots per acre. For winter use, when it does not 
require to be "banked," we plant 2 feet between rows, 
and 6 inches between plants, or about 40,000 roots per acre. 

Boston Market. — ^A variety very similar to the above, 
but rather more robust, though a dwarf variety ; the leaves 
are darker green, the stalks when blanched nearly white ; 
it is solid, crisp, and tender ; an excellent variety. 

Dwarf Red.— A variety similar in all respects to the 
"Incomparable Dwarf," except in color of the stalks, 
which are of a rosy crimson ; although the flavor of tlie red 
varieties of Celery is acknowledged to be superior to the 
white, and the appearance, when blanched certainly far 
richer, yet, for some unexplained reason, they do not so 
readily sell in our markets. In the London markets, about 
equal quantities of each are sold. 

Seymour's Superb. — The best of the large-growing 



VEGETABLES CELERIAC. 



139 



sorts, attaining a liight, under good culture, of 3 feet. It 
should never be planted closer than 4 feet between the 
rows, or it cannot be worked properly. For southern sec- 
tions of the country, this variety is more suitable than the 
dwarfs, as it grows freer in a hot and dry atmosphere. 



CELERIAC, OR TURNIP-ROOTED CELERY. 

(Apium gramolens. Yar,) 

Is grown from 
seeds sown in the 
same manner, and 
planted out at the 
same seasons as 
directed for Cel- 
ery ; but as it re- 
quires but a slight 
earthing up, it is 
planted closer 
than ordinaryCel- 
ery, 18 inches be- 
tween the rows 
and 6 inches be- 
tween the plants. 
It is preserved for 
winter use in shal- 
low trenches, and 
covered up, as 
the season ad- 
vances, as direct- 
ed for Celery. It 

Fig*. 42.— CELERIAC. 




140 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

is as yet grown to but a limited extent here, being used 
only by the French and Germans. The Turnip-like root 
is cooked, or it is sliced and used with vinegar, makins: a 
most excellent salad. 

CHIVES. — (Allium ScTmnoprasum.) 

A small bulbous-rooted plant of the Onion tribe, en- 
tirely hardy and of the easiest culture, as it will grow on 
almost any soil for many years without renewal. It is 
propagated by division of the root, and may be planted at 
9 or 10 inches apart ; the leaves are the parts used, which 
may be repeatedly shorn off during the early summer 
months. They are sometimes used in soups, but more 
generally in the raw state. 



CORN SALAD, OR FETTICXJS.~(i^^^^« oUtoria.) 
A vegetable used as a salad, and sold to a consider 
able extent in our markets. It is sown on the first open- 
ing of spring, in rows 1 foot apart, and is fit for use in six 
or eight weeks from time of sowing. If wanted to come 
in early in spring, it is sown in September, covered up 
with straw or hay, as soon as cold weather sets in, and is 
wintered over exactly as Spinach. The covering is re- 
moved in March or April when it starts to grow, and is 
one of our first green vegetables in spring. 

CRESS, OR PEPPER (i^hS&—{Lepidium sativum.) 
Another early spring vegetable, used as a salad, and of 
easy culture. It is sown in early spring in rows 1 foot 



VEGETABLES — CRESS. 141 

apart; as it runs quicldy to seed, succession sowings 
should be made every eight or ten days. There are sev 
eral varieties, but the kind in general use is the Curled, 
which answers the purpose of garnishing as well as for 
salads. 



CRESS— WAT'E'R.—i^cLsturtnnn officinale.) 

This is a well-known hardy perennial aquatic plant, 
growing abundantly along the marghjs of running streams, 
ditches, and ponds, and sold in immense quantities in our 
markets in spring. Where it does not grow naturally, it 
is easily introduced by planting along the margins of ponds 
or streams, where it quickly increases, both by spreading of 
the root and by seeding. Many a farmer, in the vicinity 
of New York, realizes more profit from the Water Cress- 
es, cut from the margin of a brook running through his 
farm, in two or three weeks in spring, than from his 
whole year's hard labor in growing Corn, Hay, or Potatoes. 

It is usually sold in baskets containing about 3 quarts, 
which sell, when first in market, at $1 each ; 200 or 300 
such are carried in an ordinary wagon, so that from a sin- 
gle load of this simple vegetable, $200 to $300 are realiz- 
ed. The Water Cress has a particularly pleasant pungent 
taste, agreeable to most people in early spring. 

It is said, that when Sir Joseph Banks first arrived in 
England after his voyage around the world, among the 
first things he asked for were Water Cresses, well know- 
ing their value as a purifier of the blood ; and that he af- 
terwards presented one of the largest Water Cress grow- 



142 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

ers for the London market a Banksian Medal, for energy 
shown in the business, believing that while he had benefit- 
ed himself, he had benefited the community. I have no 
doubt whatever, that, in situations where irrigation could 
be used at pleasure, and regular plantations made as for 
Cranberries, that, grown in this way, — judging from the 
enormous price they sell at, picked up as they are in the 
present hap-hazard way^ — at present prices, an acre would 
sell for $4000 or $5000. 



COLEWORT, OR COLLA'RDS.—iBrassica oleracea,) 
Collards, as grown in this country, are nothing more than 
sowings of any early variety of Cabbage, in rows about 
one foot apart, which are cut off for use when 6 or 8 
inches high. Spring sowings may be made every two 
weeks from April to June ; and in fall from September, as 
late as the season will admit. I have never seen them 
sold in our markets. 



COTLS—iZea Mays.) 

The varieties known as " Sweet," are the sorts most 
cultivated for culinary use in the green state. It may be 
either sown in rows 4^ feet apart, and the seeds planted at 
8 or 9 inches in the rows, or planted in hills at distances 
of 3 or 4 feet each way, according to the variety grown 
or the richness of the soil in which it is planted. The 
taller the variety, or richer the soil, the greater should be 



VEGETABLES CORIS-. 143 

the distance apart. The soil best suited for Corn, for an 
early crop, is a well enriched sandy loam. The planting 
should never be done until the weather is settled and 
warm, as heat is indispensable to the healthy growth of 
Corn. We make our first plantings, in this vicinity, about 
the middle of May, and continue succession plantings ev- 
ery two or three weeks until the first week in July, which 
date is the latest at which we can plant and be sure of a crop 
of " roasting ears." In more southerly latitudes, planting 
is begun a month earlier,, and continued a month later. 
The crop is not profitable enough for the market garden, 
but the farmers realize double the price for Sweet Corn 
when sold in the green state in our markets, that they do 
for ripe Corn, besides, as the ground can be cleared when 
thus sold in August, it can be used afterwards for Turnips 
as a second crop. A profit of from $50 to $100 is said 
to be realized per acre fi^om Sweet Corn. 

The most popular variety is : 

Early Darling, which is early, of good size, and under 
good cultivation, gives an average of three ears on each 
stalk. It is tender and sweet ; as this sort is rather dwarf 
growing, it need never be planted more than 3 feet apart. 

Dwarf Prolific Sugar. — This variety rarely grows 
more than 4 or 5 feet in hight, suckering up from the main 
stem, often five or six shoots, — which bear an average of 
two ears each ; these, however, are small, not more than 5 
01 6 inches in length, and quite slender. It is too small 
for market purposes, but is the most valuable variety 
grown for family use, being early, tender, sweet, and pro- 
ductive. We prefer to grow this variety in rows 3 feet 
apart) and 1 foot i>etween the plants. 



144 GARDElSriNG FOR PROFIT. 

Asylum Sugar. — ^A large late variety of tall growth, 
used to succeed the earlier sorts ; it is productive, and has 
every desirable quality except earliness. Should be 
planted in hills 4 feet by 3. 

StOWelPs Eyergreen. — Also a late variety, having the 
peculiarity of remaining longer in the green state than 
any other sorts ; on this account it is very popular. 



CUCUMBER.— (C'^^^^^s sativus.) 

The growing of the Cucumber out-of-doors is, in most 
places, attended with a great deal of annoyance and 
loss, occasioned by the attacks of the " Striped Bug." 
When the seed is sown in the open ground, repeated sow- 
ings are often utterly destroyed by this pest, despite of 
all remedies. To avoid this, and at the same time to 
forward the crop at least a week, we have long adopted 
the following method, with the greatest success. About 
the middle of May, (for this section), we cut from a pas- 
ture lot, sods from 2 to 3 inches thick, these are placed with 
the grassy side down, either on the benches of our forcing 
house, in an exhausted hot-bed, or inside of a cold frame ; 
at that season of the year any one of these will do as 
well as another. The sods being fitted together neatly 
so that all crevices are filled up ; they are then cut into 
squares about 3 or 4 inches in length and breadth ; on each 
of these are planted 2 or 3 seeds of Cucumbei*, and ovei 
the whole is sifted about half an inch of covering of some 
light rich mold. They are then sprinkled thoroughly from 



VEGETABLES CUCUMBER. 1 45 

a Rose Watering-pot, and the sashes put on, and kept close 
until the seeds begin to germinate, whicli will be in three 
or four days. As soon as they are up, the sashes must be 
raised to admit air, else the sun's rays, acting on the glass, 
would raise the temperature too high ; at that season of 
the year the sashes, as a rule, may be tilted up at 8 or 9 
o'clock in the morning, and shut down by 3 or 4 o'clock 
in the afternoon. By the time the Cucumber plants have 
attained two or three of their rough leaves, which will be 
in about three weeks from the time of sowing, they are 
planted out in the open ground in hills 3 feet apart each 
way. The hills should have been previously prepared, by 
mixing thoroughly with the soil in each, a shovelful of 
well-rotted manure. 

It is always better to plant in the afternoon, rather than 
during the early part of the day, as the coolness and mois- 
ture at night; enable the plants to recuperate from the ef- 
fects of removal. If the weather is hot and dry, it is safer 
to give each hill a thorough watering once^ immediately 
after planting. I have recommended sods in preference to 
flower-pots for starting the Cucumbers, inasmuch as they 
are not only procurable in all places, but our experience 
.s, ohat the sod is even better than the flower-pot ; it better 
retains moisture, and there is a freshness about sod in 
which the roots of all plants love to revel, and which no 
composts we can prepare can ever equal. It will be seen 
that the expense of growing Cucumbers, in this manner, is 
considerable; to grow enough for* an acre — about 5000 
hills — ^it will require the use of at least 20, 3 x 6 sashes, and 
the preparation of the sod, and attention in airing, etc., 
until they are fit to plant, will involve ten times more ex- 
1 



146 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

pense than simply sowing the seed in the hills; but all 
such expenditures are well returned, for it is safe to say, 
that the profits would always be at least three times more 
by this plan than by the other. The average receipts are 
^750 per acre ; working expenses probably $250, and the 
crop is off in time for Turnips or Spinach as a second crop. 

The Cucumber is a vegetable perhaps better fitted than 
any other for southern market gardeners. There is no 
doubt, that by the forwarding process above described, it 
could be got in marketable condition in the neighborhood 
of Charleston or Savannah, at least a month before it 
could in New York, and as it is one of the easiest things 
we have to ship, a profitable business could be made of 
growing it to send North. The profits on an acre of Cu- 
cumbers, grown by this method in Charleston, and sold in 
New York in June, would, I think, exceed the average 
profits of fifty acres of Cotton. 

Cucumbers are also extensively grown for pickling; 
hundreds of acres being used for this purpose in the vi- 
cinity of New York, especially in Westchester County. 
Sod or stubble land, plowed in early fall, and again turned 
over twice or thrice in spring, is the condition of soil usu- 
ally chosen. The ground is marked out as for Corn, 4 
feet each way, and a good shovelful of well-rotted manure, 
dug in at the angle which forms the hill ; the seed is sown — 
about a dozen in each hill — usually about the 20th of June, 
out equally good crops can be obtained by sowings made 
us late as the middle of July. The average price of late 
years has been $1.50 per 1000, and the number grown per 
acre on properly cultivated lands, is 150,000, wjiich is $225 
gross receipts per acre. The expense of raising are said 




VEGETABLES CUCUMBER, 147 

to be about one-half. These profits would not satisfy the 
market gardener on his few valuable acres near the city, 
but, no doubt, are remunerative enough to the farmers, 
with large quantities of cheap land. 

The varieties are numerous, and embrace many very 
well marked kinds. The large growing kinds that attain 
2 feet or more in length, have never become favorites in 
our American markets. 

White Spinedi — Belongs to the short growing section, 

is of medium size, from 6 
to 8 inches in length and 
2 to 3 inches in diameter; 

Fi- 43.— white-spi/ed cucumber, it is a very handsome va- 
riety, deep green, flesh crisp, and of fine flavor. The va- 
riety almost exclusively grown for market in New York. 

Early Framet— A very handsome small growing vari- 
ety, rarely exceeding 5 inches in length, and has fewer 
spines than the preceding. It is often a question whether 
this or the White Spined is most desirable, so that of late 
years we have grown about an equal quantity of each for 
forcing or forwarding under glass. 

Gherkin* — This variety, used exclusively for pickling, 
botanists distinguish as a species distinct from the common 
Cucumber; it is very small, length from 2 to. 3 inches; a 
strong growing sort, and should be planted 5 feet apart. 

Manchester Prize, — An extremely handsome variety, 
extensively grown in England ; it is very dark green, hav- 
ing tubercular excrescences at the base of the spines, reg- 
ularly over its whole surface, except 3 or 4 inches at the 
extremities, which are smooth , it is of the largest size, 
growing upwards of 2 feet in length. 



148 GARDENIIS'G FOR PROFIT. 

Lang Green Turkey, — This is a very distinct sort, 
slightly curved at the stem, measuring, when full grown, 
15 or 16 inches ; it is perhaps the firmest and best flavored 
of all Cucumbers, and as it has but few seeds, can be used 
older than most others. 

Early Cluster. — A much esteemed early variety, grow 
ing in clusters and extremely productive ; its color is blue- 
ish-green, shading lighter at the extremities. 



EGG PLANT. — {Solanum Melongena) 

The cultivation of the Egg Plant, from its extreme ten- 
derness, is, in its early stage, attended perhaps with more 
trouble than any vegetable of our gardens. A native of 
Tropical America, it at all times requires a high tempera- 
ture ; for this reason, in this latitude, the seeds had better 
not be sown in the hot-bed until first week in April, and 
even then a steady bottom heat is necessary to a healthy 
development, and there should be warm covering at night 
over the sashes. I have always found that in tender 
plants of this kind, there was nothing gained by starting 
early, even though by great care the plants are carried 
through the cold season. By the time they can be planted 
in the open ground, about June first, those started first 
of March, would be no larger than those started first of 
April, besides being harder both in roots and leaves, in 
which condition they are far inferior to the younger plants 
that have been raised with less than half the labor. 

The soil in which Egg Plants are to be grown can 
hardly be too rich, for it is a plant that will generally re 



VEGETABLES EGG PLANT. 



149 



pay good treatment. They are planted from 2 to 3 feet 
apart, according to the degree of richness of soil ; in the 
fertile market gardens never less than 3 feet. Although 
their sale is comparatively limited, yet from the difficul- 
ties often experienced in raising the plants, all that are 
offered, are sold at good prices ; the average is about $1 
per dozen, each plant producing six to nine full-sized fruit. 
It is more important with this vegetable to select the 
proper variety for growing, than with any other that I 
know ; for that reason we are chary of touching any other 
sort for market pu.rposes than the 

New York Improved, — This is readily distinguishable 
from either the "Large Round" 
or "Long Purple" varieties, in 
the plant being more robust in all 
its parts, the leaves and stems also 
being thickly studded with spines, 
which are not 
to any extent on 
the other vari- 
eties, but the 
great merit it 
has. over the oth- 
ers is its uniform productiveness. I grew 
from 1000 to 8000 Egg Plants for mar- 
ket for over a dozen of years, but never 
had a j^aying crop with any other sort except tlie Nem 
York Improved. 

Long Purple, — Different in shape from the foregoing; 
sometimes deep purple, and again pale, with white or yel- 
lowish stripes. 




Y\%. 44:.— N. Y. IMPROVED 
EGG TLAXT. 




Fig. 45.— LONG 
EGG PLANT. 



150 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

It is claimed that this is earlier than the preceding, but 
this we are not willing to concede, for all our experience 
with them, to the best of my recollection was, that neither 
this or any other variety than the New York Improved, 
ever proved worthy of cultivation, in our vicinity at lea^t. 

Scarlet-fruited Egg Plant.— This is more grown a>i a 
curious ornamental plant than for culinary use, the fruit is 
about the size and shape of a duck egg, of beautiful scarlet. 

White-fruited Egg Plant.— Similar ip growth to the 
scarlet, but the fruit is larger, and of an ivory whiteness. 
It is good when cooked, but much less productive, and like 
the Scarlet, is grown more for curiosity and ornament. 



ENDIVE. — (Gichorium Endima.) 

The cultivation of this vegetable for market purposes is 
not yet extensive, it being used by few except our Ger- 
man and French population. It is, however, offered now 
by the wagon load, where a few years ago a few basket- 
fuls would have supplied all the demand. Like all other 
vegetables that are grown in limited quantities, it com- 
mands a high price, and the few who do raise it find it 
very profitable. 

Like Lettuce, it may be sown at any time from early 
spring until August, and perfect its crop the season of 
sowing. As it is used almost exclusively in the fall 
months, the main sowings are made in June and July, 
from which plantations are formed, at 1 foot part each 
way, in August and September. It requires no special 



VEGETABLES ENDIVE. 151 

soil or manure, and after planting, it is kept clear of 
weeds by hoeing and weeding, until the plant has attained 
its full size, when the process of blanching begins ; for it is 
never used except when blanched, as it is harsh and bit- 
ter in the green state. Blanching is effected by gath- 
ering up the leaves, and tying them up by their tips in a 
conical form, with bass matting. This excludes the light 
and air from the inner leaves, which in the course of three 
to six weeks, according to the temperature at the time, 
become blanched. 

Another method is much simpler and quicker, and is the 
one mostly practised by those who grow Endive for mar- 
ket-; it consists simply in covering up the plants as they 
grow, with slates or boards, which serves the same pur- 
pose, by excluding the light, as the tying up. The aver- 
age price, during the months of October, November, and 
December, is $1 per dozen. 

The best sorts are the following : 

Green Curled. — This is not only one of the most use- 
ful as a salad, but is highly ornamental from its delicately 
cut and curled leaves ; it is much used for garnishing. 

Moss Curled.— -This variety is as yet scarce, but no doubt 
it will soon be extensively cultivated. From the density 
of the foliage, the plant is heavier than the Green Curled, 
is equally agreeable as a salad, and its appearance, either 
green or blanched, is particularly handsome. 

Broad-leaved Batavian. — A loose growing variety, 
forming but little heart. As with this blanching can only 
be accomplished by tying up, it is not so desirable as 
either of the preceding. 



152 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

White Curledt — This, as the name indicates, has white 
or light fohage ; it is more tender than the Green ; it can- 
not be recommended except as an ornamental variety. 



GARLIC, — (Allium sativum.) 

Another vegetable used mostly by foreigners. It is of 
the easiest culture, growing freely on any soil suitable for 
Onions. It is propagated by divisions of the bulb, called 
** cloves," or " sets." These are planted in early spring, in 
rows, 1 foot apart, and from 4 to 6 inches between the 
plants in the rows. The crop matures in August, when it 
is harvested like the Onion. It is always sold in the dry 
state. 



ILO'RSERA'DISH,—(^(^sturtium Armoracia,) 

This root is now one of the most important we raise in 
our market gardens, upwards of two hundred acres of it 
being grown in the vicinity of New York alone, and for 
the last half dozen years there has been nothing grown 
from which' we have realized more profit as a second crop. 
It is always grown as a second crop in the following 
manner : 

In preparing the roots for market during winter, all the 
small rootlets are broken ofi* and reserved for planting, 
leaving nothing but the main root, which is usually from 



VEGETABLES HORSERADISH. 1 53 

12 to 15 inches long, and weighing about three-quar- 
ters of a pound. The rootlets, or sets, are cut into pieces 
of from 4 to 6 inches in length, from one-quarter to 
one-half in diameter ; these are tied in bundles of 50 or 60, 
the top end being cut square an 1 the bottom end slant- 
ing, (fig. 45), so that in planting there will be no danger 
^^^^ of setting the root 

Fi- 46.-HORSERADISH SET. though it would grow, 

if planted thus, it would not make a handsome root. 
The sets, when prepared, are stowed away in boxes of 
sand, care being taken that a sufficiency of sand is put be- 
tween each layer of bundles to prevent their heating. 
They may either be kept in the boxes in a cool cellar, or 
pitted in the open ground, as may be most convenient. 
We prefer the open ground, when the weather will per- 
mit. I have said that Horseradish is always cultivated as 
a second crop ; with us, it usually succeeds our Early Cab- 
bage, Cauliflower, or Beets. Thus, we plant Early Cab- 
bage, lining out the ground with the one foot marker; on ev- 
ery alternate line are first planted Cabbages, which stand, 
when planted, at 2 feet between the rows, and 16 or ]8 
inches between the plants. We always finish our tPtire 
planting before we put in the Horseradish, which delays it 
generally to about 1st of May; it is then planted between 
he rows of Cabbage, and at about the same distance as the 
Cabbage is in the rows, giving about 12,000 or 13,000 
plants per acre. The planting is performed by making a 
hole, about 8 or 10 inches deep, with a long planting stick 
or light crowbar, into which is dropped the Horseradish set, 
80 that its top will be 2 or 3 inches under the surface ; if 



154 GABDENING FOR PROFIT. 

the sets should be longer, the hole should be made pro- 
portionally deep, so that the top of the set be not nearer the 
surface than 2 or 3 inches ; the earth is pressed in along- 
side the set, so as to fill up the hole as. in ordinary plant- 
ing. The main reason for planting the set so far under 
tlie surface, is, to delay its coming up until the crop of 
Cabbage be cleared off; the Horseradish makes its main 
growth in the fall, so that it is no injury to it to keep it 
from growing until July ; in fact it often happens that by 
being planted too near the surface, or too early, it starts to 
grow so as to interfere with the Cabbage crop ; in such 
cases we have often to cut the tops off twice by the hoe, 
before the Cabbage is ready, but this does not injure it in 
the least. It is a crop with which there is very little labor 
during summer ; after the Cabbage has been cut off, the 
Horseradish is allowed to grow at will, and as it quickly 
covers the ground, one good deep hoeing is all that is re- 
quired after digging out the Cabbage stumps. When 
grown between Early Beets, the culture is, in all respects, 
the same, only it is more profitable to have the rows of 
Beets only 18 inches apart ; this of course throws the 
Horseradish nearer, so that when planted between Beets, 
it should be planted at the distance of 2 feet between the 
plants in the rows. 

As it is an entirely hardy plant, it is one of the last 
roots we dig up in fall, it being usually delayed until De 
cember. After digging, the small roots are usually broken 
off in the field and stowed away in boxes, so that they 
can be trimmed under cover at leisure. The main root is 
then put away in the pits, as recommended in Winter 
Preservation of Vegetables, so that it can be got at as re 



VEGETABLES HORSERADISH. 



155 



quired during winter. Tlie preparation for market is very 
simple, being merely to cut off the green tops and small 
rootlets, leaving the main root only, as represented, in 
r(^duced size, by ^g, 47. It is sold by weight, and is 
generally washed, which is done suffici- 
ently by rinsing a quantity of it together 
in a large tub. 

Our manner of growing Horseradish 
in this district, we claim to be a great 
advance on the methods practised in 
general. All American writers on the 
subject, that I have seen, follow in the 
same track and recommend planting the 
eroK^ns, This would not only destroy 
the most salable part of the root, but 
when planted thus, the crowns will pro- 
duce only a sprawling lot of rootlets, that 
are utterly unsalable in the market. 
They also tell us, that "after two 
seasons growth the roots will be fit for use." Now, 
my experience in growing this root, has most emphati- 
cally told me that after two seasons growth it is entirely 
unfit for use, or at least unfit for sale, which I suppose is 
about the same thing. A few years ago, one of my neigh- 
bors had a patch of about two acres, which from some 
cause or other he had neglected to have dug until late in 
spring, and concluded, as it was then rather late to sell 
it, he would leave it to grow over until next season. On 
commencing to dig it the next fall, he found that the main 
root, instead of being solid, as it is at one year old, had be- 
come partially hollow, and of a woody, stringy nature, 




Fig. 47. — HORSE- 
RADISH. 



156 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

and when offered to manufacturers, it was refused av 
any price. So there was no help for it, but dig up and 
throw away his entirely worthless crop at a most unu- 
sual expense, as its two year's growth had massed the 
whole soil with roots. This experiment of my neighbor 
4ras a loss to him of certainly not less than $1500. 

Grown in the deep rich soil of our market gardens, Horse- 
radish has been for the past twenty years one of our most 
profitable second crops, and as an encouragement to begin- 
ners, I will state that the price has, in this, as with most other; 
vegetables, steadily advanced, showing that, even with in- 
creased competition, there has been more than correspond- 
ingly increased consumption. The price for five years, 
ending 1854, did not average more than $70 per ton ; from 
that time to 1860 about $120 per ton ; and from 1860 to 
1866 fully $200 per ton. Of course the prices these later 
years were inflated, yet still the proportion is higher for 
this than for any other vegetable. Our average weight 
per acre is five tons, or a little over three-quarters of a 
pound per root for 12,000 planted. It has always been a 
surprise to me how the price has kept up, in view of its 
easy and safe culture. But there is one thing to be re- 
membered ; these heavy crops are only obtained in our 
gardens that are in the highest state of culture, no ordi 
nary farm land, the first season, manure it as you might, 
will produce such results. 



VEGETABLES KOHLRABI. 



157 



KOHLRABI, OR TURNIP-ROOTED CABBAGE. 

{Brassica oleracea. Var.) 

In general appearance, this vegetable more resembles a 
Ruta Baga Turnip than a Cabbage, though it is more gen- 
erally classed with the latter. It is best cultivated by 
sowing the seeds in rows in May, June, or July, accord- 
ing to latitude. In this district we sow throughout June, 
ihv succession, in rows 18 inches apart, thinning out to 
about 8 or 10 inches between the plants. It is rather dif- 
ficult to transplant, and we gen- 
erally prefer to sow the whole 
crop from seed, and thin it out 
^\'hei-e it stands ; although when 
the weather is suitable, the thin- 
nings may be planted at the dis- 
tances above named. It is sold 
in our markets in fall in the 
green state, in bunches contain- 
ing three roots, at an average 
Eig. 4S.— KOHLRABI. price of $1 per dozen bunches. 

As it is not in general use, its sale is limited. The vari- 
eties mostly cultivated are 

Early White. — The bulbs are greenish-white outside; 
flesh white and tender, while young. The best condition 
for use is when the root is from 3 to 4 inches in diameter; 
if younger, it partakes too much of the taste of the Cab- 
bage, and Avhen older it is dry and stringy. The best 
market sort. 

Large Purple, — Almost identical with the preceding, 
except in color, which is a blueish-purple. 




158 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

LEEE. — {AlUum Porrum,) 

The Leek is another vegetable that is exclusively grown 
as a second crop. The seed is sown in Apiil in rows 1 
foot apart, in ground well prepared as recommended for 
the Celery seed bed ; and like all seed beds, it is kept 
scrupulously clear of weeds. The best time of planting 
is the same as that for all our second crops ; during July, 
or as soon as the first or spring crop can be cleared off. 
The ground can hardly be too rich for Leeks, and when 
time will allow, we always contrive to get in a slight ad- 
ditional coat of manure for this crop ; the spring dressing, 
large as it always is, hardly being sufficient. The ground 
being well prepared by plowing and harrowing, lines are 
marked out by the marker at 1 foot apart, and the Leeks 
planted on each line at 5 or 6 inches apart ; we do not 
earth up, but instead plant rather deeply. As it is a plant 
the foliage of which is but little spreading, great care 
must be taken that weeds are never allowed to get ahead, 
for if they do, they may soon entirely envelope the crop 
to its total destruction. 

It is a vegetable used mostly in winter and spring, and 
requires to be dug up, in this vicinity, in November, as 
otherwise it would be injured by our severe winters, but 
in milder sections it is better left standing where it grew ; 
it is quite a hardy vegetable, so that 20 or 25 degrees be 
low freezing will not injure it. It is preserved, by the 
market gardeners here, in trenches, exactly as Celery it 
preserved ; see chapter on Celery. Large quantities are 
sold in our northern markets, at fairly remunerative rates, 
although from the nature of the plant, it requires perhaps 



VEGETABLES LETTUCE. 



159 



more labor than any other vegetable to prepare it 
for market. Figure 49 represents the Musselburgh 

Leek, trimmed previous to being 
bunched up for market. From 
six to eight roots are tied in 
each bunch, which bring in the 
market, upon an average, through- 
out the season, about 75 cents 
per dozen bunches. We plant 
about 85,000 plants on an acre. 

The two varieties used, are 
known as Musselburgh and Lon- 
don Flag. The former is rath- 
er preferred in market, being 
usually larger, but there is but 
little choice between them. 




Fig. 49.— MUSSELBURGH 
LEEK. 



LETTUCE.— (^«^^^^^ satwa.') 

Perhaps there is no plant of the garden that we could so 
ill afford to dispense with as Lettuce. Its cultivation is uni- 
versal, by all classes, and from its tractable nature and 
freedom from nearly all insects and diseases, it is manage- 
able in the hands of every one. In a well appointed mar- 
ket garden, it is the most important vegetable cultivated, 
engaging our attention throughout the entire year, either 
in the open ground in summer, in forcing houses or hot- 
beds in winter, or in cold frames in spring. As our mode 
of growing it under glass is sufficiently described in treat- 



160 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

ing of pits, frames, etc., I will in this place confine myself 
to our system of cultivating it out of doors. 

For our main early crop, that is sold from the open 
ground in the latter part of May or first of June, the seed 
is sown the previous season in the open ground, from the 
15th to 25th of September. These plants are usually 
large enough to be planted in frames in four or five weeks 
later, as recommended for Cabbage plants, about 600 or 
700 being planted in a 3 x 6 sash. Occasionally we sow 
them in the frame in fall, and do not transplant them, as it 
saves a great amount of labor, but they are not quite so 
good plants unless transplanted, as it is difficult to sow 
them so that they come up at the regular degree of thick- 
ness. The winter treatment of Lettuce plants is similar 
in all respects as described for Cabbage plants. In dry, 
well sheltered spots, by covering up with leaves or litter, 
late in the season, say middle of December, Lettuce plants 
may be saved over winter without glass covering, and in 
southern parts of the country, without difficulty. Like most 
plants that we term hardy, 20 degrees of frost will not in- 
jure them. The plants for setting out in spring, are also 
sown iu cold frames in February, and in hot-beds in March, 
and by careful covering up at night, make plants to set 
out in April ; but these are never so good as those win- 
tered over, and it can only be recommended where cir 
cumstances do not permit the other method. To econo- 
mize, not only in space, but in manure, we make every foot 
of our gardens available, so that when we come to plant 
out our Lettuce in March or April, instead of planting it 
in a bed exclusively for itself, it is planted at the same 
time and between the rows of Early Cabbage or Cauli- 



VEGETABLES — LETTUCE. 161 

flower, which are set at 2 feet apart. The Lettuce matures 
its crop in half the time that it takes for the Cabbage, and 
is consequently all cut off and marketed before the Cabbage 
is half grown. If it were not so, they could not be both 
grown at once on the same ground, for, when the Cabbage 
erop attains its growth, it requires the full space allowed 
— 2 feet — for its development. 

This early crop of Lettuce from the open ground is con- 
sidered rather an auxiliary than a main one, it meets with 
a rapid sale at an average of $1.50 per 100 heads. Rath- 
er a low price it may be thought ; but growers, having 
only ten acres of ground, not unfrequently plant over 
100,000 heads. It is planted somewhat closer than Cab- 
bage, usually about 15,000 per acre. For succession crops 
of Lettuce, sowings may be made in the open ground as 
early as spring opens, until July. When not planted be- 
tween Cabbage, they are set at 1 foot apart each way. 
They are sold to some extent throughout the whole sum- 
mer, but the great weight of the crop is sold about the 
first week of June, in New York markets. The summer 
price of Lettuce is very variable, as the supply is often 
irregular — ^it may average $2 per 100. 

The varieties of Lettuce used for the different purposes 
of forwarding and forcing, and for out-door culture in 
spring and summer, are of more importance than with most 
vegetables. I once lost almost my entire crop of Frame 
Lettuce, from planting the Curled India, a summer vari- 
ety, instead of the Curled Silesia, which I had got from a 
well meaning but not very learned friend, whose hiero- 
glyphics had got transposed. 

Early Curled Simpson,— This variety we place at the 



162 GARDENS ^i FOR PROFIT, 

head of the list, believing it to be most generally useful 
for all purposes. It is a sub-variety of the Curled Silesia, 
rather more curled, and having more of a yellow shade of 
green ; it is the kind which is planted in cold frames al- 
most exclusively, and is also largely grown as an early 
open air variety between the Cabbage crop. This vari 
ety, properly speaking, does not head, but forms a compact 
close mass of leaves. This condition of maturity is at- 
tained quicker than in varieties that form firm heads, 
which gives it the great desideratum — earliness. 

Curled Silesia.— A variety extensively sold in all seed- 
stores, but we believe the preceding to be an improvement 
upon it. The Curled Silesia is darker green, rather less 
curled, and does not mature quite so early as the Simpson. 

Green Winter Lettuce. — This, next to the Brown 
Dutch, is the hardiest of all varieties, and for that reason 
it is always largely grown ; many of the other varieties 
failing in our frames in winter, while this comes through 
unscathed. It is not much used for forcing, unless when 
we are obliged to resort to it by having lost the others. 
When fully matured, it forms a solid head. 

Tennis Ball. — A favorite forcing variety, and, as the 
names indicates, forming a hard head ; it makes few outer 
leaves, and for this reason can be planted quite closely 
under glass, from 6 to 7 inches apart. It is the variety 
mainly used in our hot-bed and forcing pits. 

Black-seeded Butter. — ^A variety similar to the Tenni 
Ball, but larger in all its parts, forming heads in the open 
ground often 14 inches in diameter, and averaging fully 
a pound in weight. We use it extensively as an early out- 
door variety, and also to some extent in our cold frames. 



VEGETABLES MARJORAM. 1 63 

Curled India • — Tliis we consider to be by far the best 
of the curled sorts for hot weather ; it forms an immense 
head, often 16 inches in diameter, and as solid as a Cab- 
bage. 

Ke Plus Ultra* — A new variety with plain leaves, which 
for the past two seasons, has proved particularly adapted 
for hot weather ; it forms a large solid head, and is a very 
tender sort. 

Paris Green Cos.— Although the Cos varieties of Let- 
tuce are not so suitable for our climate, yet they are so 
much superior in flavor, that they are occasionally grown 
in early spring and fall for private use, though I have 
never seen them in our markets. In shape, they differ en- 
tirely from the other varieties, the head being elongated 
and of a conical form, 5 or 6 inches in diameter, and 8 or 
9 inches in hight. The present variety is deep green. To 
be had in perfection, it requires to be tied up to ensure 
blanching. 

Brown Cos. — Similar to the above, except in its outer 
coloring, which is brownish-green. This variety is said to 
have been cultivated in England for half a century, and is 
still one of the favorite sorts. 



MARJORAM. — Sweet. — {Origanum Marjoram.) 

A well-known aromatic herb, grown to a considerabl 
extent for market purposes ; but as it is of less impor- 
tance than Thyme, which is grown very largely for sale, 
the reader is referred to that head for all information re- 
garding its culture, price, etc., as in these particulars they 
a^e entirely identical. 



164 GARDENING FOR PROFIT 

MELON. — Mv&K.—{Cucumi8 Melo,) 

The Melon is not cultivated in the vicinity of New 
York, in the market gardens proper, but to a large extent 
in what may be called the farm-gardens of Long Island 
and New Jersey. There it is grown almost in the same 
manner as they grow Corn, planting about the same time, 
and cultivating in the same manner, and often with but 
very little more profit per acre than a crop of Corn, But 
the Melon is a fruit easily shipped, and when grown by 
the forwarding process we detail for Cucumbers — by 
planting the seeds on sods under glass — there is no ques- 
tion but that it can be made equally profitable in all re- 
spects with the Cucumber, when grown in southern lati- 
tudes for our northern markets ; although like many other 
fruits and vegetables so easily raised, it can never be ex 
pected to be profitable if used in the district in which it 
is grown. It is a plant not at all particular as to soil, pro- 
vided it be not wet or heavy ; moderately enriched light 
soils are those most congenial to it. 

For open field culture, they should be planted in hills 6 
feet each way, incorporating well with the soil, in each 
hill, a couple of shovelfuls of thoroughly rotted manure. 
Sow four or five seeds in each hill,* and cultivate afterwards 
as for Corn. Too much care cannot be used in saving the 



* The term, *hill," when used here and elsewhere, means but a slight, il 
ny, elevation of the surface, and is used only as a convenient term to denote 
where the seed or plant is to be planted. But from the signification of the 
word, it naturally leads the novice in gardening into very serious error, by caus- 
ing him to think he must literally raise a hill on which to sow or plant, and In 
consequence we too frequently see plants elevated on little knolls a foot or more 
a'love the general surface, from which the rain slides, and on which the sun beats 
to iheir utter destruction. 



VEGETABLES MELON. 165 

seeds of all plants of this class, as tliey cross very readily ; 
for this reason, when seeds are to be saved from any par- 
ticular variety, care must be taken that it is widely re- 
moved from any other — not less than 100 yards. If seed 
is not wanted, improper crossing will make no difference 
to the fruit that season, but the seed — the product of 
that crop — will be affected thereby, and its impurity de- 
veloped when fruit is raised from it. 

From the facility with which the Melon intermixes, it 
follows that the varieties are very numerous, and for the 
same reason it is difficult to retain varieties pure. The fol- 
lowing seem to be the most fixed in character, and are 
the sorts in general use. 

Green Citron* — Fruit medium size, deeply netted ; in 
shape almost round, varying from 6 to 8 inches in diam- 
eter ; flesh green, and of rich delicious flavor. It is the 
leading market variety at the North. In selecting for 
seed or for use, the most netted specimens should always 
be chosen, as they are always vastly superior in flavor to 
those with smooth skin. 

Borneo* — Rather a new variety, which promises to be- 
come very popular. It is of large size, nearly double that 
of the preceding, of a roundish oval shape, deeply ribbed 
and netted; flesh yellowish-green ; of excellent flavor. 

Nutmeg* — Fruit, nutmeg-shaped. Skin deep green, 
finely and thickly netted ; flesh greenish-yellow, rich and 
sugary, in flavor second to none. It is extensively grown 
in private gardens, but is thought not to be quite so pro- 
ductive as the Citron for market. 

White Japan* — ^A very distinct sort, deeply ribbed, 
slightly netted with skin of a yellowish white ; flesh yel- 



1G6 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

low, melting, and richly flavored. A recently introduced 
variety of great merit. 

Skillman's Netted. — Form roundish oval; flesh deep 
green, sweet, and richly perfumed, A variety much 
esteemed for forcing, as it is closer growing than most 
other sorts, and also one of the earliest. 

Persian Ispahan* — A most valuable variety for the 
more Southern States, although entirely too late for this 
vicinity, imless forwarded previously under glass before 
planting out. It is oval, of the largest size, averaging a 
foot in length, with a diameter in its greatest thickness 
of 8 inches. Skin smooth, and when fully ripe, of a light 
yellow ; flesh yellowish white, having a rich perfume and 
delicious flavor. 

Christiana* — ^A comparatively recent variety that has 
hardly come up to first expectations ; it is reddish yellow 
fleshed, very sweet, but without the rich flavor of the 
green-fleshed sorts. However, its inferiority in flavor, is 
compensated by its greater earliness, but wherever the 
green-fleshed varieties mature, the red or yellow fleshed 
need never be grown. 



MELON. — Water. — (Gitrullus vulgaris,) 

Like the Musk Melon, when cultivated for sale, this is 
essentially a plant more suited for the farm than the gar- 
den, as it requires even more space in which to grow. The 
soil best suited to it is a rather sandy loam ; heavier soils 
being apt to induce a too strong growth of leaves. It 



VEGETABLES — MELON. 1 67 

should be planted about the same time, and cultivated 
in all respects the same as the Musk Melon, only that the 
hills should not be less than 8 feet apart. It is grown in 
immense quantities on the light sandy soils of N"ew Jer- 
sey, for the New York and Philadelphia markets, in which 
it is said to give a profit of from $100 to $200 per acre. 
But it is in the vicinity of our southern cities, Charleston, 
Savannah, etc., where we have regular steamboat commu- 
nication, that these tropical fruits can be grown at a high 
rate of profit to the cultivator. 

Water Melons, grown in the vicinity of Charleston, in 
July of this year, were sold by the thousand in New 
York, to the consumer, at $1 each ; while those grown in 
southern Jersey, in August or September, were a drug at 
15 cents and 25 cents. The leading varieties are as fol- 
lows: 

mountain Sprout. — An 'old and well-known variety, 
and still the leading market sort. It is of the largest size, 
longish oval; skin dark green, marbled with lighter 
shades; red fleshed; of excellent quality. A greater 
weight can be raised per acre of this than of any other 
variety. 

Black Spanish. — ^Fruit medium, almost round; skin dark 
green ; flesh red ; sweet and delicious. It is a great favor- 
ite in private gardens, and is claimed to be earlier than 
he preceding. 

Ice Cream. — A round white-fleshed variety of good 
flavor, but not equal to the red-fleshed. It matures 10 
days earlier, however, and on that account is worth culti- 
vating in the Northern or Eastern States, where the sea- 
son for the finer sorts is too short. 



1G8 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



\ 



Orange.— So called from its peculiarity of the flesh 
separating from the rind when fully ripe ; it is below me- 
dium size ; flesh red ; sugary, but coarse grained ; inferior 
to many others. 

(Citron Water Melon, — Outwardly a very handsome 
fruit of small size, but not worth growing as a ripened 
fruit. It is used to some extent for making sweetmeats, 
for which purpose it is alone cultivated. 



ISIST, --{Mentha viridu.) 

A hardy perennial plant, found growing in abundance 
along the roadsides in many places. It is often grown in gar- 
dens, however, and is used in soups, sauces, salads, etc., very 
generally. It is of the easidst culture. It is increased by 
divisions of the root, and planted at distances of a foot 
apart ; it quickly forms a mass, which may be cut from 
for many years without renewal. It is grown to a con 
siderable extent in hot-beds and forcing pits, in the same 
way as Lettuce, and sold in the markets in early spring. 
Its treatment there is very simple, being merely to lift 
up the roots in solid mass, placing them on the 3 or 4 
inches of earth in the hot-bed or bench of the forcing 
house, and water freely as soon as it begins to grow 
The sale is not large, but growers realize about $15 pe 
sash, (3x6), for what is thus grown throughout winter 
and spring. 



I 



VEGETABLES MAKTYNIA. 



leo 



MARTYNIA. — {Martynia prohoscidea.) 

A vegetable used to a considerable extent for pickling, 
the pods or fruit of which are produced in the greatest 




Fiii:. 50. — MARTIKIA. 



abundance. It is cultivated by sowing in open ground, 
in April or May, and transplanting to 2 feet each way, in 
June ; it is iit for use in July and August. 



170 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

MUSTARD,— (/Sinapis alha, and S. nigra,) 

Is used for culinary purposes as a salad, usually in eon- 
junction with Cress. For this purpose it may be had 
throughout the entire season, by sowing during winter in 
hot-beds or forcing pits, and, on the opening of spring, in 
the open ground, where, by sowing at intervals of two or 
three weeks, it may be had in proper condition for use 
throughout the year. Sow thickly in rows, 1 foot apart, 
on any soil. 

White Mustard • — This is the variety mostly used as a 
salad ; the seeds are bright yellow, and are used in the 
manufacture of the mustard of commerce. 

Black Mustard • — This variety is hardly distinguishable 
from the preceding, except in the color of its seeds, which 
are dark-brown ; they are use^for medicinal purposes, and 
also in manufacture of Musta 




MUSHROOM.— (^5'^>'^*<J^« campestris,) 

I know of no vegetable which has such a novelty and 
interest to the beginner, as the cultivation of the Mush- 
room. In all other vegetables he sees something tangible 
to start with — seeds, plants, or roots ; but here, we may al- 
most say he sees neither, for the seeds cannot be seen with 
the naked eye, and it requires an unusual eflfort of the im- 
agination, to believe the white moldy subtance we call 
spawn, to be either plants or roots. There are so many 
different systems of growing the Mushroom, detailed in 
most of the works on gardening, that the reader is too 



VEGETABLES MUSHROOM, 



171 



often bewildered in choosing a guide. In this, I ^vill only- 
detail one method, which I have practised for many years 
with unfailing success. To make the cultivation of the 
Mushroom profitable, it must be done in a building, either 
specially erected for the purpose, or in some shed, stable, 
or cellar, already on the premises, and Avhich can be con- 
verted to that use. The most suitable place, in establish- 
ments having green-houses, vineries, or forcing pits, are 
the bac^v sheds, usually erected o^er the boiler pits, such 

as are shown in the plans of 
forcing pits in this work. 
But such an erection is not 
indispensable ; any place, 
where a temperature from 
40^ » to '60*^ can be sustained 
duiin^winter, will suit, 

"W^'dYe also grown them 
under the stages of our 
green-houses, but our " mod- 
ern improvements " of late 
Fig. 51.— MUSHROOM. years, allow us no longer 

room for the operation there. The time of beginning 
may be any time during winter ; we have usually begun 
our preparations about December 1st, which brought our 
beds into bearing about February 1st, at the season that * 
Mushrooms begin to be most wanted. 

Our method of growing Mushrooms is very simple, and 
can be accomplished to a certainty by any one conforming 
to the following directions. Let fresh horse droppings be 
procured from the stables each day, in quantity not less, 
perhaps, than a good barrow load ; to every barrow load 




172 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

of droppings add about the same weight of fresh loam, 
from a pasture or sod land, or soil of any kind, in fact, that 
has not been manured ; (the danger of old manured soil 
being, that it may contain spurious fungi). Let the 
droppings and soil be mixed together, day by day, as the 
droppings can be procured; if they can be had all at 
once, in quantity enough, so much the better. Let the 
heap be turned every day, so that it is not allowed to heat 
violently, until you have got quantity enough to form the 
bed of the dimensions required. Be careful that your 
heap is under cover, so that it cannot possibly get wet. 

The most convenient size for a bed is from 4 to 5 feet in 
width, and if the Mushrooms are wanted in quantity, it 
is the plan most economical of space to start on the floor 
of the house with the first bed, the additional ones to be 
formed of shelving, 4 feet wide by 10 inches deep, raised 
one above another, something like the berths in a steam- 
boat. Now, from the prepared heap of droppings and 
soil, spread over the bed a thin layer ; pound this firmly 
dowm with a brick ; then another layer, pounded down as 
before, and so on until it reaches a depth of 8 inches. Be 
careful that it be no more nor less than 8 inches ; more 
would cause the mass to heat too violently, while less, 
is hardly enough. Into this bed plunge a thermometer ; 
in a day or two the bed will heat so that it will run up to 
100 or over, and as soon as it declines to 95 or 90, take a 
dibber or sharp stick and make holes all over the bed, at 
the distance of about 12 inches each way, to about half 
the depth of the bed ; into each hole put a piece of spawn 
of the size of a hen's egg or so, covering up the hole again 
with the compost, so that it will present the same level firm 



VEGETABLES — MUSUROOM. 173 

surface as before the spawn was put in. Let it remain in this 
condition for about 10 or 12 days, by which time the spawn 
will have "run" through the whole bed. Now spread 
evenly over the surface of the bed nearly 2 inches of fresh 
loam, firm it down moderately with the back of a spade, 
and cover up the bed with 3 or 4 inches of hay or straw ; 
this completes the whole operation of " planting the crop." 
Nothing now remains to be done, but attention to the 
proper degrees of heat and moisture. 

If you can control the means of heating, so that the 
place can be kept unifoi-mly at a temperature of 60°, all 
the better, but if not, it may range from 40° to 60^ ; it 
should never get much below 40°, else the bed will be- 
come cold too quickly, and delay the crop until too late in 
the. season to be profitable. Unless the air of the house 
has been unusually dry, the Mushrooms will appear before 
any water is required ; but examination should be made, 
and if the surface of the bed appears dry, a gentle sprink- 
ling of water, heated to about lOO'^, must be given. 

With this treatment, beginning in December, our first 
crop is ready for use in February, and as the Mushrooms 
do not come up all at once, it takes about three weeks to 
gather the crop. After this, a slight dressing of fresh 
soil, of about half an inch in depth, is spread over the bed, 
again beat down with the spade ; this, gently watered with 
tepid water when dry, and a second crop of Mushrooms, 
(often better than the first), is gathered in March. 

To show how a simple oversight in our operations may 
defeat the whole work, I will state, that in my first attempt 
at Mushroom growing, I labored for two years without be- 
ing able to produce a single Mushroom. In my apprentice 



174 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

days, we had known no such word as fail, in so simple a 
matter; but here, on my first attempt, on my own re- 
sponsibility, I was met by total failure. Every authority 
was consulted, all the various methods tried — but with no 
better success. In all such cases something must be 
blamed, and I pronounced the spawn as woitliless; but 
my good natured employer quietly suggested that this 
could not well be, as a friend of his had abundant crops 
growing from spawn received from the same sourc\ 
Driven into a corner by this information, I made another 
exploration of my "authorities," and was fortunate to 
find in one of them a single sentence that at once showed 
where my error had been, it was to " be careful to delay 
the covering with mould, until ten or twelve days after the 
bed had been spawned." Now, in all the different meth- 
ods I had tried, I had in each invariably put in the spawn, 
and at once put on the 2-inch covering of soil, which had 
the effect to shut d6wn the steam, thereby raising the tem- 
perature in the bed to a degree to destroy the spawn, and 
consequently to defeat my whole operations. My excuse 
for this digression is to show the importance of what 
might otherwise be thought unnecessary details. 

Although spawn is procurable at cheap rates in all hor- 
ticultural stores, yet to such as desire to make it them- 
selves, I give the following brief directions. Take equal 
portions of horse droppings, cow dung and fresh loam, 
mix the whole thoroughly together, as you would make 
mortar ; then form it into cakes about the size of large 
bricks, place these on edge, under cover, until they become 
half dry ; then insert into each a piece of spawn half an 
inch or so square, let the bricks remain until they are quite 



VEGETABLES — MUSHROOM. 175 

dry ; then spread about 8 inches of horse dung over the 
floor of the shed, on which build the bricks in a pile 3 feet 
wide by 3 feet high, keeping the side in which the spawn 
has been put uppermost ; then cover them over with suffici- 
ent stable manure, so as to give a gentle heat through 
the whole. In two or three weeks the spawn will have 
spread itself through the whole mass of each brick ; they 
are then removed to a dry place, and will retain their vital 
properties for many years. 

There is not the least question that the cultivation of 
Mushrooms for market, forced in the manner detailed, 
will give a larger profit for the labor and capital invested 
than that from any other vegetable. The supply has never 
yet been half enough, and sellers have had prices almost 
pretty much as they pleased. I know of no house that 
has been especially erected for the purpose, and the mar- 
kets have been supplied from beds formed in out-of-the- 
way corners, giving only an uncertain and irregular sup- 
ply, very discouraging to buyers. I have no doubt what- 
ever that Mushroom houses, roughly built, but exclusively 
devoted for th^t purpose, would, in the vicinity of any of 
our large cities, pay a profit of 50 per cent, per annum on 
cost of construction. 



176 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

NASTTrRTIUM.— Indian Cress. ^(Tropceolum majus,) 

A plant at once highly ornamental and useful. The 
shoots and flower-buds are sometimes used as a salad, but 
it is mainly grown for its seeds, which are pickled in vin- 
egar, and used as a substitute for capers. It can be grown 
in almost any soil or situation, entwining itself around 
strings, brush, or trellis work, that may be given for its sup- 
port. It may be sown thinly in drills, an inch or so d^eep, 
in April or May. There are many beautiful varieties, but 
the following are only those in use in our vegetable gar- 
dens. 

Tall Nasturtium. — Attains a hight of 8 or 9 feet, the 
flowers are yellow, blotched with crimson. This variety 
makes an excellent screen or covering for unsightly places 
in the garden. 

Dwarf Nasturtium,— This, in growth, is quite distinct 
from tbe preceding, never attaining more than 3 feet ; it 
should be sown thinly in drills, 3 feet wide, and staked up 
with brush like Peas. Its flowers are very handsome, 
bright yellow, blotched with scarlet. 



OEBA OR GUMBO. — {Abelmoschus esculentus.) 

This vegetable is extensively grown in the Southern 
States; its long pods, when young, are used in soups, 
Btews, etc., and are believed to be very nutritious. It is 
of the easiest culture, and grows freely, bearing abun- 
dantly on any ordinary garden soil. It is sown at the 
usual time of all tender vegetables — in this district in 



VEGETABLES — OKRA. 



177 



May — in drills 2 inches deep, and from 18 to 24 inches 
apart in the rows, for the dwarf sorts, for the tall nearly- 
double that width. There are only two sorts commonly 




Y\^. 52. — OKRA, OK GUMBO. 

grown, "dwarf" and ''tall;" the former being the most 
productive. 



8* 



i78 GABDENING FOR PROFIT. 

0'SIO'S,—{^ii^um Cepa.) 

Next to Cabbages, perhaps, Onions are the most prof- 
itable crop of our market gardens, in which they are 
grown from sets, and nearly all sold in bunches in the green 
or unripened state. Grown from seed, they are cultivat- 
ed almost exclusively by farmers or men who devote farm 
land to this purpose alone ; thus grown, they are all sold 
in the dry state, and form an important article of com- 
merce. 

I will first describe the manner of cultivating in our 
market gardens. To produce the " sets," or small bulbs, 
that are planted to give early Onions to be sold green, a 
poor piece of ground is chosen as early as it is fit to work 
in spring. It is brought into a thorough state of pulver- 
ization by plowing, harrowing, and raking, so that the 
surface is level and free from stones; a line is then 
stretched, and lines are marked out by the 9-inch side of 
the marker, in these the seed is sown in beds of 6 rows 
wide, rubbing out every 7th row marked, so that it forms 
an alley 18 inches wide. For this purpose the seed is 
sown quite thickly, and on poor soil, so as to produce the 
" sets " as small as possible, for we find that whenever 
they much exceed half an inch in diameter, they will run 
to seed. It matters not how small the bulb is ; even when 
of the size of the smallest Peas, they make an equally good 
if not a better crop, than if of a larger size. The sets are 
taken up in August, well dried, placed with the chaff 
among them in a loft of stable or barn, about 4 inches 
deep, covered up by six inches of hay on the approach of 
hard frost, and left thus until wanted for setting out in 
spring. Here we again commence our operations for the 



VEGETABLES— ONION. 179 

crop ; this time the Onions are wanted as large as they 
can be got, and the best soil of the garden is chosen, ma- 
nured with short, well rotted manure, plowed in at the 
rate of 75 tons to the acre ; when only concentrated ma- 
nures can be obtained, crushed bone is preferable to gu 
ano. The ground is further deeply harrowed ; the har 
row turned on its back, and the soil still further broken up 
with the short teeth, and if any inequalities are left, they 
are leveled and smoothed with the rake. The line is now 
stretched along the bed, and the 9-inch marker again 
makes the drills, 6 in each bed, with one rubbed out for 
an alley. The sets are now planted in the drills, at a dis- 
tance of 3 inches apart, pressing each bulb down firm- 
ly, so that it will keep right side up ; the row is then 
closed in by the feet or a rake, so that the set is entirely 
covered'up. The ground is then rolled over, so as to ren- 
der it still more compact around the bulbs ; as soon as the 
lines can be traced, by the Onions starting to grow, the 
hoe is applied between the rows, and the soil broken be- 
tween the plants by the fingers, where the hoe cannot reach, 
so as to destroy the germ of the weeds. If attended to in 
time, twice going over with hoeing and weeding is suf- 
ficient until the crop is fit for market, which it begins to be 
about the first week in June, and is usually all gathered 
by the first week in July, so as to give us time for sccoijkJ 
crops. 

When we first begin to send them to market, they are 
usually not more than half grown, and are washed and tie4 
in bunches containing from nine to twelve Onions ; later, 
when full grown, from six to seven. This crop is one re- 
quiring considerable labor and expense, to get it in shape 



180 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

to sell, taking cost of sets, labor, manure, etc., probably 
not less than $400 per acre, for the past five years ; but 
the receipts have been correspondingly high, averaging in 
that time quite $800 per acre. Onions, planted from sets, 
rarely fail to give a crop on any kind of soil, provided it 
has been well manured ; and although they are sold by 
the market gardeners in the green state, they are equally 
good, ripened and dried, when raised from sets, as from 
seed. The quantity of sets required per acre, is from six 
to ten bushels according to size ; at present prices, they 
cost $10 per bushel. 

The method of raising Onions from seed as a farm or 
garden crop, differs but little from that we adopt for sets, 
except that they are sown generally about 1 foot apart in 
the rows, and manured at the rate of only 25 tons to the 
acre instead of 75. It is of the utmost importance that the 
ground for Onions, grown from seed, be as nearly level as 
possible, so that the seed is not washed away by rains. 
It also saves considerable labor in hoeing, when it can be 
got free from stones and seeds of weeds. 
• The seed of Onions, when sown as a field crop, is most- 
ly sown by a machine used solely for that purpose ; this 
machine sows two rows at once, making the drill and sow- 
ing as it goes along. The operation of sowing is begun 
as soon as the ground is fit to work in spring, as we al- 
ways find, other conditions being the same, that those ear- 
liest sown produce the heaviest crop. The covering of 
the seed is best done by rolling the ground with a light 
roller, drawing it lengthwise of the lines. Rolling is also of 
great advantage in smoothing the surface, so that hoeing, 
particularly with the scuffle hoe, is much more easily per- 



VEGETABLES — ONIOJ^. , ISl 

formed. The quantity of seed per acre, is about 4 lbs., 
when sown by the machine, that is if the seed is new and 
fresh ; and none else should ever be used, as Onion seed, 
of more than one year old, is not apt to produce a vigorous 
crop. The seed is quickly tested by placing a little of it 
in damp cotton or moss, in a moderately warm room ; if 
fresh, it will sprout in three or four days. The early at- 
tention to weeding or hoeing is, if possible, of more import- 
ance when the crop is raised from seed, than when from 
sets ; for the growth being slower and feebler from seeds, 
if weeds once get ahead, the crop may be ruined. Here, 
as well as in all other garden operations, one man will hoe 
over more ground, before the weeds start to grow, than 
ten men will, after the weeds get to be six inches high. 
Here then, a " stitch in time," literally, " saves nine." 

The crop is always harvested in August, the bulbs be- 
ing lifted by slightly digging under the row with a light 
digging fork. The Onions are left on the ground, usually 
from two to three weeks, according to the condition of 
the weather, to get thoroughly dried, and are then placed 
in barrels, or about 6 or 8 inches deep upon shelving made 
for the purpose, in a barn or cellar ; any place that is 
dry, without being too warm, being most suitable. 
Onions will only endure a certain amount of frost without 
injury, so that it is always safer to cover them up from in- 
tense freezing as cold weather approaches. The price of 
Onions is variable in the extreme ; those first sent to mar- 
ket often selling for $5 and $6 per barrel, while in a week 
later the same quality is hardly salable at $1.50 per bar- 
rel. Again, in spring, when successfully wintered over, 
some careftil grower often realizes the first named price. 



182 



GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



It may be given, as a fair average, that $1.50 per barrel is 
the price reaUzed by the grower. The product is about 
150 barrels per acre, and the cost of raising about $125 ; 
leaving a profit of $100 per acre. 

The varieties of Onion are quite numerous, but, as in 
all other leading vegetables, cultivators confine them- 
selves to only a few well established sorts. 

Yellow Dutch, or Strasburg. — This is the variety that 
is grown almost exclusively when the crop is planted from 
" sets," and sold in the green state. Not that it is any 
more productive, nor does it sell quite so well as the White 
or Silver Skinned, but from the fact of the "sets" keep- 
ing better in winter, it is the sort we find safest to use. 

White, or Silver Skinned. — A very handsome sort, of 
delicate flavor, much grown for private use ; it requires 

more care in keeping in win- 
ter than any other, however, 
and is hardly ever used as 
a market sort, unless for 
pickling, for which it is sold 
in large quantities. The 
bulb is quite flat ; the outer 
skin, silvery white. It is 
entirely distinct from the 
Fig. 53.— SILVER-SKINNED ONION. '« Sllvcr Skiu " of the East- 
ern ^fetes, which is a brownish-yellow skinned variety, bet- 
ter known as Old Yellow, or Common Yellow. 

Yellow Danvers, — This variety has not been sufficiently 
tested as a market sort, to be sold green, but from what I 
have seen of it, I am inclined to think it may yet super- 




VEGETABLES ONIOX. 



188 



sede the Strasburg for that purpose. It certainly is far 
more productive, but the question, whether it will keep as 
well in sets, during winter, has not been sufficiently test- 





Ei^. 54. — YELLO^.V DAN- 
VERS ONI0:>. 



Fig. 55. — WETHERSFIELD RED 
ONION. 



ed. WJien sown from seed, as a field crop, it is said to 
give one-third greater weight than any other variety, but 
it does not keep so well as some others. 

Wethersfleld Large Red,— This is the staple variety 

of the eastern Onion growers ; 
enormous quantities of it are 
grown for shipment, it be- 
ing found, from its excel- 
lent keeping qualities, to be 
best fitted for that purpose. 
It is never so salable as the 
White or Yellow, however, 
Fig. 56.— POTATO ONION. i^ o^r home markets, and is 
rarely grown from sets here. 

Potato Onions, or "Multipliers," as they are some- 
times called, are the mildest of all Onions, and though not 




184 



GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



generally grown for. market, are perhaps the best of all 
for family use. They are grown by planting the small 
bulbs, early in spring, in rows 1 foot apart, by 4 or 5 inches 
in the row, and cultivated otherwise as described for those 
grown from sets. The increase is formed by the bulb, as 
it grows, splitting up and dividing into six or eight bulbs^ 
these forming the crop when at maturity in August. 
Top, or Tree Onion. — lias a bulb in size knd genera] 

appearance similar to the Po^ 
tato Onion, but is propagated 
by the singular production of 
a cluster of small bulbs in 
place of floweis. These resem- 
ble a cluster of hazel nuts, 
and by them it propagates 
very rapidly. It is grown to 
a considerable extent, in some 
places, as an early market 

sort, sold green ; when ripe, 

Fiir. 57.— TOP onion. .^ ^ -, -, i • ^i. 

it must be used early m the 

season, as it does not keep well in winter. The planting 

and subsequent culture is the same as for other sorts. 




P ARSLE Y. — {Petroselinum sativum.) 
A vegetable in more general use for garnishing than any 
other plant of our gardens ; it is also extensively used in 
soups, stews, etc. Its cultivation forms quite an import- 
ant item in market gardens, particularly under glass. 



VEGETABLES — PAUSLEY. 185 

The manner of cultivating it thus is by sowing it be- 
tween the rows of a growing crop of Lettuce in our cold 
frames, in April. As it is slow to germinate, it only ap- 
pears at the time the Lettuce is cut off in May. It is then 
cleared from weeds, hoed, and forms a growth fit to cut a 
month before that sown in the open ground. After the 
first cutting has been made, in June, it is generally so low 
in price as not to be worth marketing, so it is allowed to 
grow through the summer until the first week in Septem- 
ber, when it is cut off close to the ground and tfcrovyn 
away^ as it is rarely wanted at this season. It is again 
hoed, and as at this time it makes a short healthy growth, 
suitable for keeping well in ranter, it is stowed away in 
narrow shallow trenches, exactly in the same manner in 
which w^e preserve Celery. 

This way of growing Parsley, I believe, is nearly con- 
fined to Xew York ; but as the consumption of such an 
article is necessarily limited, this market has been over- 
supplied of late years. Formerly it has frequently paid 
twice the value of the sash that covered it, in one season — 
$6 for a 3 -< 6 sash. Xo doubt, in many places this system 
of growing would be as profitable as it used to be with 
us. When not grown under glass, it should be sown 
thickly in rows a foot apart, in early spring. The vari- 
eties cultivated are the " Dwarf Curled," for framing and 
general crop, and the Moss or Fimbriated, for garnishing. 



18G GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

PARSITIF. — {Pastinaca sativa.) 

Of late years, our market garden grounds have become 
too valuable to be used in growing this vegetable, the 
competition from well cultivated farm lands having 
brought it down below our paying level. Its cultivation 
is, in all respects, similar to the Carrot. The soil most 
suitable is a deep sandy loam, moderately enriched. It 
is sown rather thickly in our gardens in early spring, at 
a distance of 12 or 14 inches apart in the rows ; on farm 
lands, at 18 or 20 inches, or wide enough for rows to be 
worked between by the cultivator. Like all vegetables 
of this nature, it must be thinned out to a distance of 3 
or 4 inches apart between the plants ; and our oft repeat- 
ed caution about weeds must be here again enjoined. It 
is used almost exclusively in winter, but in our Northern 
States, what is wanted for winter use, must be dug up in 
fall, and packed away in the manner described under the 
head of " Preserving Vegetables in Winter." What are 
wanted for sale or use in spring, are best kept in the bed 
where they grow ; being entirely hardy in our coldest 
districts. About one-half is usually dug up and pitted in 
fall, foi* sale in winter, and the other half left over for 
spring. But it sometimes happens that the winter sup- 
ply is exhausted before the frost is out of the ground in 
spring, sufficiently to permit of their being dug, and when 
procurable at such times, they command almost fabulou 
prices. 

On one such occasion my salesman reported that there 
was not a root of this vegetable to be found in market, 
and suggested an attempt to dig them at any cost. On 
an examination of a well sheltered plot, we found it prac- 



VEGETABLES — PARSLEY, 187 

ticable, with crowbars, picks, and wedges, to extract them 
slowly from the frozen soil, and with our ordinary force, 
a few barrels were dug that day that were quickly sold at 
$10 per barrel. I at once secured a supply of extra labor- 
ers, and by our efforts the next day, we sent in 40 barrels 
that sold for $6 per barrel ; three or four days more ex- 
hausted our supply, but the plot, of little more than half 
an acre, brought nearly $800, which would not have sold 
for more than $200, had not the unusual scarcity in mar- 
ket been taken advantage of. The average market price 
is about $1.50 per barrel, and at that rate, as a farm crop, 
it is, in my opinion, by 50 per cent, a better paying crop 
than Onions. It will average easily 200 barrels per acre, 
and in our rich garden soil about 300. The expense of 
raising I should judge to be not more than $100 per acre 
on farm land ; in gardens about $200. The increased cost 
in the garden being mainly in the greater value of the 
land, for it will be remembered that the annual rent of 
leased gardens in the vicinity of New York, and other 
large cities, is about $75 per acre. 

A number of varieties of Parsnips are enumerated in 
seed lists, but the distinctions, as far as I have seen, are 
hardly worth a difference in name, and I am inclined to 
think that the soil often determines peculiarities of variety. 
Certain it is, that by sowing the " Hollow Crowned " on 
heavy soil, it will be in a great measure deprived of that 
distinction, while the same seed sown on hght sandy soil, 
will have this peculiarity vvell marked. 



188 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

PEA. — (Pisum sativum.) 

The Pea is grown largely for market purposes in nearly 
every state in the Union, the time at which it is sown and 
matures being at widely different dates in northern and 
southern sections. In any district, its highest degree of 
perfection is attained under a comparatively low tempera- 
ture, hence it is one of the many vegetables described as 
best to be sown in " early spring." True, it is sown for a 
succession crop throughout the summer months, even as 
late as August, but the first sowings, everywhere, always 
produce the best results, and it is from the first sowings 
only that it is ever offered in market. For market pur- 
poses it is more a crop of the farm than of the garden, 
and many hundred acres are cultivated in Southern Jersey 
and Long Island for the New York market. Warm, 
light soils, moderately enriched by stable manure or bone 
dust, are best adapted to its culture, but if the ground 
has been manured the previous year, no manure is needed. 
The whole crop is marketed by July, and is usually follow- 
ed by a second crop of Late Cabbages or Turnips. The 
two crops together, average a profit of from $150 to 
$300 per acre, according to earliness, condition of soil, etc. 
There is an important matter connected with growing 
Peas, that confines their culture to the vicinity of a town 
or village ; it is the necessity of being able to get a large 
number of hands to pick, at the time they are marketable. 
The variation in one day, in the market, is not unusually 
from $2 to 50 cents per bushel, which shows the vast im- 
portance of an early crop. From the sofc condition in 
which it is required to be gathered, it is a vegetable not 
very manageable to ship, and the packages, which should 



VEGETABLES ^PE A. 1 89 

be of latticed boxes or baskets, snould never exceed the 
capacity of a bushel, when shipped from distances requir- 
ing from two to three days in the transit. But even this 
expense and care is well repaid by the high rates for 
which the first lots are sold. When grown as a market 
crop, Peas are never staked, and are sown in single rows 
2 to 3 inches deep, and from 2 to 3 feet apart, according 
to the variety, or the strength of the soil. When grown 
in small quantities for private use, they are generally sown 
in double rows, 6 or 8 inches apart, and staked up by brush, 
for the taller growing kinds. 

The varieties are very numerous, but are in a great state 
of confusion, the same kind being often sent out under a 
dozen names. The following varieties are well defined, 
arranged as our experience gives the order of merit for this 
locality. 

EARLY VARIETIES. 

Daniel O'Rourke — Still stands at the head of all other 
varieties, for the combined qualities of earliness and pro- 
ductiveness. It is the variety mainly grown for market 
in this district, and in fact, must be in all parts of the 
country, judging from the immense quantities of it sold 
by the seedsmen. It should be sown, for a field crop, in 
rows from 2 to 2J feet apart, about 1| bushels of seed be- 
ing required per acre. 

Extra Early. — ^We find this to be a few days earlier 
than the preceding, but not quite so large in the pod, and 
hence not so profitable for market, but desirable as the 
earliest sort for private use. 



190 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

Tom Thumb. — A much valued variety for its extreme 
dwarfhess, which does away with the necessity for stakes ; 
it is, besides, very productive, as it is planted in rows 1 
foot apart ; it grows from 8 to 12 inches high. It is oc- 
casionally grown as a market variety on heavy soil, which 
is best suited for it. Being planted closer in the rows, it 
requires at least 2 bushels of seed per acre. It is also a 
very hardy variety, and is generally used for sowing in 
fall in the Southern States, where it sometimes, however, 
requires a little protection by brush during winter ; thus 
sown it matures very early in spring. 

Bishop's Long Pod, — Said to be a cross between 
Bishop's Dwarf and the Marrowfat, partaking of the 
dwarf and early qualities of the former, with the great 
productiveness of the latter ; one of the very best for do- 
mestic use. 

McClean's Advancer, — ^A comparatively new variety, 
becoming fit for use in a week after the earliest sorts ; pod 
and pea large, and of excellent flavor. 

LATE VARIETIES. 

Champion of England. — This, so far, is, by general 
consent, acknowledged as the best of the late varieties. It 
is tall growing, four feet in hight, requiring to be staked 
up ; pod and peas of the largest size. 

British Queen. — Plant strong and vigorous, often at 
taining a hight of six feet. Aside from its large size, it hai 
the merit of continuing long in bearing, and is less af- 
fected by mildew in summer than most other varieties. 

Bluf Imperial. — One of the oldest varieties, but yet 



VEGETABLES PEPPER. 1 01 

standing witL undiminished merit as one of the best late 
summer varieties ; it is one of the latest, very productive, 
and of excellent quality. 

Veitch'S Perfection. — One of the dwarfs of the late 
varieties, abundantly productive ; pods and peas of the 
argest size ; a favorite fall sort. 

Black and White-eyed Marrowfat, — These are both 
productive and hardy varieties, extensively grown as field 
peas ; used dry. They are also, from their great produc- 
tiveness, grown largely in private gardens, but they are 
not so fine flavored as most other varieties. 

Tail and Dwarf Sugar, — These are the varieties known 
as " edible podded," and are excellent to use in the green 
state, in the same way as String Beans, retaining almost 
the identical flavor of the Pea. When not used with the 
pods, they are equally excellent as shelled Peas, and as 
the name implies, particularly sweet. 



PEPPER. — {Oapsicum annuum.) 

A tropical plant, that requires to be started in hot-beds 
or forcing pits, in the Northern States. The most com- 
mon method is, to sow in hot-beds in March, and tr^at in 
all respects as directed for the cultivation of the Egg 
Plant. Light sandy soils are rather best suited for its 
growth, but it will grow tolerably well on any soil. 
When cultivated for market, they are planted in rows 2 
feet apart, and 15 inches between the plants. The crop 



102 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

is moderately profitable, but it Is not grown in large quan- 
titles, the main consumption of it being by the pickle 
factories. 

The popular varieties are ; 

Bull-nose, or Bell.— An early variety of mild flavor, 
rind thick and fleshy ; it is a favorite 
variety both for pickling and for use 
in the crude state. 

Squash, — The sort most generally 
n^rown for pickling, hardly so early 
ns the preceding, but very productive; 
it is the leading market variety. 

Sweet Mountain. — Simi- 
Fig. 58.-^LL-NosE, lar to the Bull-nose in shape 

OR BELL PEPPER, ^ud color, but larger, and 
milder in flavor ; used to make stuffed pickles, 

Cayenne* — The variety of commerce; pods 
small, cone-shaped; coral-red when ripe; it 
is quite a late variety, but the pods are as 
frequently used for pickling green as whei Fi^. SoTcay- 
ripe. Extremely acrid. ^^^^e pep-er 





"POTATO,— (Solanu^n tuberosum.) 

The soil acknowledged to be best suited for the Potato, 
is sandy loam ; in all heavy soils it is more subject to dis- 
ease, and the flavor is also much inferior. This, however, 
is true of nearly all vegetables, heavy soils inducing a wa- 
tery insipidity of flavor. Like all robust growing vegeta- 



1 



VEGETABLES— POTATO, 193 

bles, Potatoes can be grown with varying success on soils 
of all kinds and in all conditions of fertility ; but it is 
every way most profitable to use an abundance of ma- 
nure, when it is at all attainable. In breaking up good 
pasture land, the decaying sod answers sufficiently well 
for the first year in lieu of manure. Manure is applied 
either in the rows or hills, or broadcast over the surface, 
and plowed in ; the latter plan in all cases being prefer- 
able, when manure can be obtained in sufficient quantities. 

Potatoes, when grown for market, are always a farm crop, 
the receipts per acre being much too low for the regular 
market garden ; the large quantities that are planted usu- 
ally prevent the use of manure in any other way except in 
the rows. When thus applied, furrows are plowed out in 
spring, after the ground has become dry and warm, usu- 
ally 3 feet apart, and from 3 to 4 inches deep. The ma- 
nure is spread in the furrow, the "sets" or "seed" 
planted thereon, from 8 to 10 inches apart, and the furrow 
again covered in by the plow. As soon as the shoots are 
seen above ground, the ridge should be at once hoed, and 
the cultivator run between the rows; as they advance in 
growth, the soil should be laid up on each side against 
the row, so as to form a slight ridge. 

Considerable discussion has at various times occurred 
concerning the relative merits of planting cut or whole 
tubers, but is yet undecided, each system having its advo- 
cates ; a fact which goes far to prove that it is of little 
consequence which method is followed. The best rule, in 
our experience is, to plant the whole small tubers if fully 
matured, and the larger ones cut, but in either case leav 
ing enough bulk to give sufficient sustenance to the plant, 
9 



194 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

The Long Island farmers, in the neighborhood of New 
York, have their crops of Early Potatoes sold off early 
enough in July to get the ground leveled and Late Cab- 
bages planted on the ridge on which the Potatoes have 
been growing, sufficient manure being left in the ground 
to carry through the crop of Cabbage. The two crops 
together give an average profit of $150 per acre. Pota- 
toes may be preserved during winter by the section pit 
system recommended for the general preservation of 
vegetables, or in a frost-proof cellar. 

The varieties of the Potato are very numerous, many of 
them having only local reputations, so that it is somewhat 
difficult to name the best for such an extensive territory 
as ours ; those below named seem to have the most qual- 
ifications to commend them for general culture. 

Early Goodrich. — A new variety raised in 1860 by the 
Rev. C. S. Goodrich, of Utica, N. Y., who, from many 




Fig. 60 — EARLY GOODRICH, 

thousands of seedlings, selected this as the most meritori- 
ous. It has been thoroughly tested since then, and all 
bear unvarying testimony in describing it as one of the 
earliest, most productive, and equal in quality to any va- 
riety ^.ultivated. The cut represents half the averag^size. 



VEGETABLES POTATO. 1 95 

It also has the excellent property of producing very few 
small tubers. It should be planted, when in rows, 2| feet 
apart. 

Early Dykeman. — This has been the leading variety 
grown in this vicinity for an early crop for the past six or 
eight years, but there is hardly a doubt but that it will be 
superseded by the Goodrich just as soon as that variety 
gets plenty enough for general cultivation. In size, the 
tuber is above medium, yellowish-w^hite, eyes rather, sunk, 
purplish. 

Ash-leaved Kidney • — An old English variety of unsur- 
passed earliness, dry, and of excellent flavor. Tubers kid- 
ney-shaped, rather small ; slin yellowish white. This is 
an excellent variety for early crop for private use, but is 
Qot productive enough for market ; may be planted from 
1| to 2 feet in the rows. 

BuckeyCi — Second to the Dykeman as an early market 
sort, and surpassing it in quality. The tuber is roundish 
with pink eyes, and above average size. A strong grower 
and very productive ; plant 3 feet apart in the rows. 

Jackson White. — A comparatively new variety, of great 
excellence ; tubers large ; color yellowish-white ; skin of- 
ten rouorh. An excellent flavored varietv, and thousrh 
not early, is now extensively grown in this vicinity for 
general crop ; plant 2| to 3 feet in drills. 

Lapstone Kidney. — An English variety of great size and 
exceeding productiveness ; it is quite late, however, and 
its chief merit is in its quality of keeping late in spring ; 
it is quite a favorite in private gardens here. Tubers 
large, oblong, flat; color y ello wish- white ; plant 2| feet 
apart in drills. 



196 



GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



Mercer. — ^A variety perhaps more generally known and 
cultivated than any other sort ; it is very productive, me- 
dium size, and of excellent flavor, and keeps well until 
spring. One of the leading market varieties. 

Harrison. — One of the Goodrich seedlings. Said to be 
the most productive of all Potatoes; color yellowish- 




Fig. 61.— HARRISON POTATO. 

white ; oblong ; full ; flavor excellent. At this date, the 
most valued and highest priced on the list. The above 
engraving represents half the average size. 

Peach Blow. — Another sort extensively grown for mar- 
ket, and a favorite shipping variety. Tubers rather large, 
round ; eyes rather sunk ; skin pinkish-red. Very pro- 
ductive, and in this section has for some years withstood 
disease better than any other sort ; should be planted 2^ 
or 3 feet in drills. 

White Peach Blow. — A sub-variety of the above, 
claimed by some to be superior. 



TEGETABLES — PUMPKIN RADISH. 197 

TTJWPKni—iGucurbzfa Pepo.) 

The Pumpkin is yet offered in large quantities for sale 
in our markets, but it ought to be banished from them 
as it has for some time been from our gardens. But 
the good lieges of our cities are suspicious of all innova- 
tions in what is offered them to eat, and it will be many- 
years yet before the masses will understand that the mod- 
est, and sometimes uncouth looking, Squash is immeasure- 
ably superior, for all culinary purposes, to the mammoth, 
rotund Pumpkin. The Pumpkin is an excellent agricul- 
tural plant, of great value for cattle, but I have no reason 
to allude to it here, except to denounce its cultivation or 
use as a garden vegetable. 



RADISH. — (Baphanus sativus.) 

Radishes are consumed in immense quantities, and are 
one of the vegetables which we deem of no little import- 
ance as a market crop. To have them early, a light rich 
soil is the best ; heavy or clayey soils not only delay their 
maturing, but produce crops much inferior, both in appear- 
ance and flavor. They are grown by us in various meth- 
ods ; the most common is, after sowing a crop of Beets in 
vows, to sow the Radish crop regularly over the bed 
broadcast. The Radishes come up quickly, and are gath- 
ered and sold, usually in six weeks from the time of sow- 
ing. The Beets at this time have only become large 
enough to be thinned, and will not be ready for at least a 
month later, so that the Radish crop is taken off the same 



198 



GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



ground with little or no injury to the Beet crop. Another 
method is, to sow them between the rows of Early Cab- 
bages or Cauliflowers, where they also are gathered off so 
soon as not to interfere with these crops. 

These are the methods practised in our gardens here, 
where land is so valuable that we must make it always 
carry double, and often treble, crops in a season. Radishes 
are also grown in some places very extensively, 
on land devoted exclusively to that purpose, 
m spring. Their culture thus is exceedingly 
simple. The ground being plowed and harrow- 
ed well, the seed is sown, and the harrow again 
run over, which places the seed at the proper 
depth. But though the field cultivation of this 
vegetable is simple, the labor of gathering, tying 
up, and washing, preparatory for market, is 
great, which detracts largely from the profits. 
Perhaps the average receipts are $300 per acre, 
but the expense, before this is realized, is prob- 
ably one-half that amount. It must be remem- 
bered, that, in many cases, it is an auxiliary crop, 
interfering but little with our main spring crops. 
It is one or the vegetables convenient to ship, 
and the early samples from Norfolk, Va., aver- 
Fiff 62— age $10 perbarrel, of 200 bunches; or about $1000 
LONG SCAR- per acre, which should be a great inducement 

LET SHORT- . i t i 

TOP. to southern cultivators, as there is but little 

danger of glutting the markets with fresh vegetables 

shipped from a southern to a northernport. Only a few 

varieties are cultivated, although the seed lists give dozens. 

Long Scarlet Short Top. — This is the variety grown 



VEGETABLES RADISH. 



199 



in rather the largest quantity, as from its shape, (when 
tied up in flat bunches), it is best suited to ship. In rich 
light soils, its average length is about 9 inches. 

Scarlet Turnip. — ^Rather more delicate in flavor than 
the above, and for this reason in more 
demand for home consumption. By al- 
lowing it sufficient time to grow, it at- 
tains 3 inches in diameter, but it is al- 
ways gathered at half 
this size. This, and the 
preceding, are the two 
varieties that are grown 
as early market sorts. 

White Turnip and 
Long Wllite — Are merely sub-varieties 
of the above, difiering in no way except 

, T n .,, Fig. 61— OLIVE 

m color ; they are generally grown with shaped radish. 
tlie above in private gardens for the sake of variety, but 
seem not to be esteemed in market. 

Scarlet Olive-shaped, — An excellent variety; color 
crimson, rather than scarlet ; small top ; early, tender, and 
in every way desirable. 

LATE VARIETIES, GROWN FOR FALL 
AND "WINTER USE. 




Fig. 63.— SCARLET 
TURNIP RADISH. 




Yellow and Gray Turnip-rooted, — Varieties well 
adapted for summer use, as they stand the heat better than 
the early sorts ; they are mild in flavor, but are but little 
grown, as few relish Radishes at that season. 



2'):) 



GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 



Rose-colored Chinese. — A valuable variety ; color pink 
or rose ; skin smooth ; of sharp but agree- 
able flavor. Keeps as well as any. 

Black Spanish. — A very hardy variety 
often preserved, keeps as well as any 
other root in sand until mid-winter, in 
cellar or root-house ; large size ; color 
grayish-black; rather harsh in flavor. 




Fig. 65. — ROSE- 
COLORED CHINESE 
RADISH. 

are without it. 



RHTJBABB. — {Rheum Rhaponticum,) 

Rhubarb is now cultivated largely for 
market purposes in the vicinity of all 
large cities, and few private gardens 
Its culture is of the simplest kind. It is 
increased by division of the root, every portion of which 
that has an eye or bud will form a plant. It is essential, 
to grow it early and in perfection, that the soil be broken 
up at least 18 inches deep by the plow and subsoiler, and 
manured heavily ; 100 tons per acre, if attainable, will be 
none too much. It may be planted in early spring, or in 
fall, 3 feet apart each way ; if planted in spring, on ground 
well prepared, a full crop can be gathered the succeeding 
season. It is a vegetable requiring but little labor; once 
planted, it will remain in bearing condition for three or 
four years, only requiring a top-dressing of manure, dug 
in, in spring or fall. It is one of those crops of which it 
is difficult to state the value per acre ; as in the varying 
conditions of earliness, it is sold from $200 to $1000 per 



VEGETABLES — RHUBARB. 20 1 

acre. It may be safe to say, however, that it will average, 
in this vicinity, a profit of $350 per acre annually, from the 
date of planting; in many places, where there is less 
competition, no doubt double or treble that amount may 
be realized. Rhubarb is a most simple and convenient 
plant for forcing, which may be done either by hooeing 
the crowns, or inverting barrels over them in early spring, 
say two or three weeks before the weather opens, and 
covering the whole bed up to the depth of 3 feet, with 
.eaves or other heating material. Rhubarb requires no 
light in forcing, the stalks being much more tender when 
light is excluded. Another method is, to lift the roots in 
a mass in the fall, and place them in a back shed or furnace 
room ; such situations as are adapted for the forcing of 
Mushrooms, will force Rhubarb ; the requirements being 
moisture, and a temperature of from 45° to 60^. 

Forced Rhubarb always sells at highly remunerative 
prices, and when there is a surplus of roots, and conveni- 
ences for forcing, it will pay handsomely. The varieties 
mainly cultivated are : 

LinncEllSt — This is the variety mainly grown by the 
market gardeners for an early crop ; it is also very pro- 
ductive, of excellent spicy flavor, being the least acid of 
all the varieties. It is small, however, and is superseded 
by the larger but later sorts as soon as they appear. 

Victoria* — This sort is also largely grown for markets, 
but mainly on lands that are not early ; its great size and 
consequent weight of crop, compensating for its lateness. 
It is therefore recommended for heavy late lands, and the 
preceding variety for light and early soils. 

CahOOQi — This variety is particularly abundant of juice 
9* 



202 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

and when " wine " is made from Rhubarb, is perhaps the 
best fitted for the purpose. Rhubarb is not likely to make 
much headway as a " wine plant," the disinterested (?) 
eflToiiis of its advocates, notwithstanding. 

Early Prolific. — ^A variety that is extensively and al- 
most exclusively grown by the London market gardeners, 
but has not yet been much tried with us ; if what we have 
heard of it is correct, it is far in advance of all others as 
a market sort 



SAGt'E,— (Salvia officinalis,) 
See Thyme, and other Sweet Herbs. 



SALSIFY, OE OYSTER PLANT. 

(Trayopogon porrifolius.) 

This vegetable is coming rapidly into general use; 
patches of an acre of extent are seen in some of the more 
extensive gardens here, that a few years ago grew only a 
few rows. It should be sown in early spring. Its cul- 
ture is in all respects similar to that of Carrots, and al- 
though its consumption is as yet limited, for what is grown 
of it, the prices are high and very remunerative. It is more- 
over a safe root to cultivate, for, being entirely hardy, there 
is no risk whatever of its being injured by frost, should it 
80 happen that the digging up is neglected, in the hurry 



•^. 



VEGETABLES SALSIFY. 



203 



of fall work. It is generally better, however, to dig it up 
and put it away as we do Parsnips or Carrots, so that it 
'ijlj can be got at any time during winter. 
y It usually sells at higher rates in spring, 
than in fall or winter; but even with 
the advance in price is less profitable to 
the grower when sold in spring, as that 
being a busy season, the labor expended 
in digging it up and getting it ready, is 
then of much more value. 

As this vegetable will be unknown to 
many, I will state that it is used in vari- 
ous ways, but generally boiled, or stew- 
ed, like Parsnips or Carrots. It is also 
\^ used to make a soup, which has a decid- 
ed flavor of the Oyster. It is also eaten 
as a salad, sliced and dressed with vine- 
gar, salt, and pepper. There are no 
varieties. 



SCORZONERA-BLACK SALSIFY. 

{Scorzonera Hispanica.) 

Very similar to the above in genei*al 
character, and of the same culture and 
Fig. 66.— SALSIFY, use. It is not, however, so generally 
esteemed as the Oyster Plant, and is not grown except for 
private use, and even for that purpose sparingly. 



^04 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

SEA KALE. — {Grambe maritima.) 

This vegetable is much esteemed and grown largely for 
market purposes, both in England and France, and no 
private garden of any extent in either country, is consid- 
ered complete without it. Here, however, we seem to 
make but little headway in its cultivation. I have never 
yet seen it offered for sale in our markets, and its culture 
is practised in but few private gardens. 

There is an impression that it is difficult of culture in 
our climate ; this is not so, by any means ; it is equally as 
easy to grow it here as it is in England, only that, like all 
vegetables, requiring artificial heat for its perfection, its 
cultivation is attended with more expense than that of veg- 
etables that we plant in the open ground, without other 
care than to keep them clear of weeds. 

It is increased either by roots or by seed; when roots 
can be obtained to start with, they are quicker. The 
manner of operating with them is as follows : in fall, a 
few old plants of Sea Kale are dug up, and the roots cut 
in pieces of from 2 to 3 inches in length ; these are placed 
in boxes of sand in a dry cellar, until February or March ; 
they are then strewn on the surface of a hot-bed, where, 
in a week or two, they will emit roots and tops ; they are 
then potted, hardened off for a few weeks, and as soon aa 
the weather is settled, planted out in rows 3 feet apart, 
and 2 feet between the plants. If the ground is in the 
condition that it should be, Sea Kale, thus treated, 
will produce crowns strong enough to give a crop th^ 
next season after planting. When grown from seed, the 
seed should be sown in hills, at the above distances apart, 
in early spring, each hill being thinned out to three or four 



VEGETABLES SEA KALE SHALLOTS. 



205 



plants. In our colder latitudes, the crowns should be 
covered by 4 or 6 inches of manure or leaves, as a protec- 
tion from frost. 

Sea Kale is only fit for use in the blanched state, conse- 
quently, on the approach of 
spring, the " crowns " should 
be covered with some light 
material, such as sand or leaf 
mold, to the depth of 12 or 
15 inches, so that the young 
shoot, being thus excluded 
from the light, will become 
blanched in growing through 
this covering, or, sometimes 
cans, made for the purpose, 
or inverted flower pots, are 
used, the only object being 
to exclude light. In England 
it is forced extensively, by 
covering over the whole beds 
with leaves, manure, or some 
heating material. The young 
shoots, when cooked, have 
a flavor something between 
Asparagus and Cauliflower, 
but is much preferred to 




Fig. 67. — SEA KALE. 



either. The engraving shows a young shoot, when ready 
for the table. The fully developed leaves are large and 
robust. 



206 GARDEKIN^G FOR PROFIT. 

SHALLOTS. — {Allium aacalonicum,) 

This vegetable, which is used in the green state in early 
spring as a substitute for Onions, is planted by dividing 
the bulb in September, and planting in rows 1 foot apart 
and 6 inches between the plants ; it makes a slight growth 
and forms its roots in the fall. On the opening of spring. 
It developes rapidly, and the single bulb, planted in Sep- 
tember, Avill have increased, by May, a dozen fold. From 
its hardy nature, coming in at least three weeks earlier 
than the Onion, large quantities are sold, at rates corre- 
sponding with those of Onions raised from sets. It, with us, 
has ever been a profitable vegetable to raise, and I have 
arely found the profits on an acre to have been less than 
$300. It is generally cleared off" by the last week in May, 
giving sufficient time to follow with second crops of 
Early Cabbage, Beets, Turnips, etc. 



SORREL. — {Bumex acetosa,) 

A well-known perennial plant, cultivated to some ex- 
tent with us. It is used in soups and sauces, mostly by 
the Germans and French. In the French markets, it is 
nearly as abundant as Spinach is in ours, and is highly re- 
commended as a wholesome vegetable. Its cultivation i 
very simple. Seeds, sown thinly in rows in early spring 
will give a heavy crop of leaves in June and July ; wheu 
the flower-stalk of the Sorrel starts to grow, it should be 
cut out, which will add greatly to the development of the 
leaves. The crop may be left two seasons, but is more 
tender when annually raised from seed. 



VEGETABLES SPINACH. 207 

SPINACH. — {Spinada oleracea.) 

This is a very important crop in our market gardens, 
Hundreds of acres of it being cultivated in the neighbor- 
nood of New York. It is one of the most manageable 
of all vegetables, requiring but little culture, and may be 
had fit for use the entire season. 

In our market gardens, it is sown in early spring as an 
auxiliary crop, between the rows of Early Cabbage ; it 
comes to perfection usually in five or six weeks after sow- 
ing. At this season, it sells at a low price, usually from 
50 cents to $1 per barrel ; but it requires but little labor, 
and generally pays about $75 per acre of profit. The 
main and important crop is sown in drills, 1 foot apart, in 
this section from 1st to 15th September, or late enough in 
fall to g^t about half grown before cold weather sets in. 
It is sometimes covered up, in exposed places, with straw 
or salt hay during winter, which prevents it being cut 
with the frost ; but in sheltered fields, here, there is no 
necessity for covering. 

Thus sown, in the fall, it is begun to be cut or thinned 
out for market, about 1st of April, and is usually cleared 
off by 1st of May, giving the ground for a second crop of 
Cabbage, etc. I could never account for the fact that some 
vegetables always continue to be more profitable to raise 
than others that require the same expenditure of labor ; 
here we have a marked case in point. Spinach, which 
certainly requires no more labor in raising than a crop 
of Potatoes, continues to give a profit of at least three 
times as much per acre, on fields divided only by a post 
and rail fence. The men that grow the Spinach are never 
foolish enough to encumber their ground with Potatoes ; 



208 GARDENING FOB PROFIT. 

but their immediate neighbors have done so for the last 
dozen years, and have never discovered that $50 expended 
more per acre in manure, would annually put $200 more 
per acre in their pockets, by growing Spinach, instead of 
Potatoes. 

The varieties are very few. 

Roundi — ^This is the variety generally cultivated for 
winter use, being remarkably hardy, and standing our se- 
verest winters with but little injury. It is the main mar- 
ket sort. 

Prickly. — Although this variety is usually sown in 
spring and summer, it also stands well in winter, but gives 
less bulk per acre than the first named. 

New Zealand Spinach* — {Tetragonia expansa.) — A 
plant of the same character and uses, but of a difierent 
genus, and used only in private gardens. It is a remark- 
able plant, of low branching habit, growing with wonder- 
ful luxuriance during hot weather. Single plants often 
measuring 6 feet in diameter. The leaves are used ex- 
actly as common Spinach ; it is best grown by sowing the 
seeds in April and May, and transplanting to 3 feet apart. 



SdUASH. — {Gucurbita Pepo^ and G. maxima.) 

A class of vegetables embracing more marked distino- 
lions in sorts, litted for more varied uses, and to be found, 
during the extremes of the season, in a better state of per- 
fection, than, perhaps, any other product of our gardens. 
Being of tropical origin, their growth is all consummated 



VEGETABLES SQUASH. 209 

during summer ; yet the fruit of the " winter varieties " 
may be kept, with a little care, until May. They are all 
of luxuriant and vigorous growth, and although they will 
grow readily on almost any soil, yet there is hardly 
anything cultivated that will so well repay generous treat- 
ment. Like all plants of this class, it is useless to sow 
until the weather has become settled and warm ; next to 
Lima Beans, Squashes should be the last vegetable plant- 
ed. Light soils are best suited for their growth, and it is 
most economical of manure to prepare hills for the seeds, 
in the ordinary manner, by incorporating two or three* 
shovelfuls of well rotted manure with the soil, for each 
hill. For the Bush varieties, from 3 to 4 feet each way, 
and for the running sorts from 6 to 8 feet. Eight or ten 
seeds should be sown in each hill, thinning out after they 
have attained their rough leaves, leaving three or four of 
the strongest plants. 

They are extensively grown for market, but are not suf- 
ficiently profitable for our highly cultivated gardens, and 
are therefore grown rather as a farm-garden crop. They 
give a varying profit, in our vicinity, of from $100 to $10 
per acre. The early varieties are grown quite extensively 
in the vicinity of Norfolk, Charleston, and Savannah, and 
shipped North, from two to four weeks earlier than they 
can be had here, and like all such commodities, bring 
three or four times the price of those grown in the vicini- 
ty, in quantities that glut the market. 

The varieties are very numerous, and from the facility 
with which they will cross, it is very difficult to retain the 
different kinds pure. 




210 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

SUMMER VARIETIES. 

Yellow and White Bush Scalloped. — These are the 

two varieties that are esteemed the most early, and are 

such as are almost exclu- 
sively grown for market, 
for the first crop ; from the 
hard texture of the rind, 
they are well fitted for 
shipping, and are the sorts 
^^f^^^^A^" '^^ grown exclusively at the 

Fig. 68.— WHITE-BUSH SCALLOPED South for that purpose. 
SQUASH. rpjjg characters of these va- 

rieties are very decided, never presenting any variation. 
Plant 3 to 4 feet apart in hills. 

Summer Crook-neck. — A much esteemed variety in 
private gardens, somewhat similar in growth to the Bush ; 
rather more dwarf. The fruit is orange-yellow, covered 
with warty excrescences ; usually from 7 to 9 inches long ; 
considered the best flavored of the summer varieties. 

Boston Marrow. — This variety may be termed second 
early, coming in about ten days after the Bush and Crook- 
neck sorts. The skin, which is of a yellowish shade, is 
veiy thin ; the flesh thick, dry and fine ground, and of 
unsurpassed flavor. 

FALL, OR WINTER VARIETIES. 

Hubbard. — A general favorite, and more largely grown 
as a late sort than any other ; it is of large size, often 
weighing from 9 to 10 lbs. Color blueish-green, occasion- 
ally marked with brownish-orange or yellow ; flesh fine 



VEGETABLES — SQUASH— SWEET POTATO. 211 

graiued, dry, and of excellent flavor. It can be had in 
use from September to May, eight months of the year. 
It should not be planted closer than 8 feet apart. 

Yokohama. — ^A very distinct variety sent from Japan, 
by Mr. Thomas Hogg, in 1860, and since very generally 
disseminated. The fruit is roundish, deeply ribbed ; color 
orange-salmon; thickly warted; flesh thick, very dry, 
sweet, and excellent; maturing earlier than the Hubbard, 
but not so desirable for winter. Plant 8 feet apart. 

Winter Crook-neck* — A variety largely grown in some 
of the Eastern States, where it is said to be kept the en- 
tire season. Skin reddish-pink, when matured; flesh 
close grained, sweet, and fine flavored. It is a luxuriant 
growing variety, and should be planted in hills 9 feet apait. 

Vegetable Marrow, — This variety is a favorite English 
sort ; the fruit is very variable in size, from 9 to 18 inches 
in length, by from 4 to 6 inches in diameter. The skin is 
greenish-yellow ; flesh white, soft, and of rich flavor ; very 
distinct from all of the preceding. Plant in hills, at 8 feet. 



SWEET "POTATO,— i^pomoea Batatas,) 

We have few vegetables that are so particular about 
soil as the Sweet Potato, and to succeed well with it, it is 
essential that the soil be light, rich and warm. It is labor 
lost to attempt its cultivation on a heavy, cold soil. It is 
more generally grown in the Southern States than the 
conmion Potato, as there the soil and climate are more 
congenial to it. We have often difficulty, in this district, 



212 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

in saving the tubers sound enough until spring, to start 
for sprouting to produce young plants. The great essen- 
tials to their good preservation, are a dry and rather 
warm atmosphere; the cellar, suitable to preserve the 
common Potato, being usually much too cold and damp 
for this. Where there is no place of the necessary high 
temperature, it is best to get them in spring direct from 
some southern market, where they can always be had in 
good condition ; or they can be kept by packing in bar- 
rels in dry sand, and keeping them in a warm room. In 
this district, we begin to start the tubers in hot-beds or 
forcing pits, about the middle of April, laying them thickly 
together on a 2-inch layer of sand and leaf-mold compost- 
ed together, (or sand alone will suit if leaf-mold cannot 
be had) ; as soon as the buds or eyes show signs of start- 
ing, cover the tubers completely over to the thickness of 
an inch with the same material. Treat as for other tender 
plants in the hot-bed or forcing pit, and the sprouts or slips 
will be ready for planting out by the first of June, 

Market gardeners often make the sale of Sweet Potato 
plants a very profitable operation, immense quantities of 
them being sold to private growers at the planting season. 
As the sprouts from the tubers come up very thickly, re- 
peated thinnings are made, which is not only profitable to 
the grower, but of great advantage to the remaining plants, 
by giving them the necessary room to grow. One grower, 
in this vicinity, informed me that last season he sold up- 
wards of $1000 worth of plants from 150 sashes. The 
profit from the cultivation of the plant in the field is 
something less than that from Tomatoes, but more than 
from the common Potato. 



VEGETABLES — SWEET POTATO — ^TOMATO. 213 

In this latitude, the Sweet Potato should never be 
planted much earlier than the first of June ; it is very 
susceptible of being chilled, and the weather is rarely set- 
tled and warm enough to be safe here before June. Pre- 
pare the hills as for Tomatoes, 4 feet apart, planting three 
plants in each, or if in rows or ridges, 4 feet apart, and 1 
foot between the plants; in either case requiring from 
8,000 to 10,000 plants per acre. 

The following are the sorts mostly grown. 

Nansemond. — ^This is the earliest sort; tubers large, 
from 3 to 4 inches in diameter at the thickest part, taper- 
ing to each end, and from 5 to 8 inches long ; flesh dry 
sweet and well flavored. 

Red Skinned. — This variety is claimed to be hardier 
than the preceding, but it is doubtful if this is the case. 
It is a long, slender variety, mostly grown in private gar- 
dens, and is believed to be of a richer flavor than the yel- 
low or white sorts. 

Yellow Skinned. — This sort is mainly cultivated in the 
Southern States, where it attains nearly the weight of the 
Nansemond ; it requires a longer season than that variety, 
and is not so suitable for the North. It is of excellent 
flavor, and more free from stringiness than any other sort. 



TOM AT 0. —{Lycopersicum esculentum.) 

This vegetable is one of the most important of all gar- 
den products ; hundreds of acres are now planted with it 
in the vicinity of all large cities, and the facility with 



214 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

which it is managed, places it readily under the control of 
the least experienced. It is now grown here almost en- 
tirely by those who grow Peas, Potatoes, Melons, and 
other crops of the '' farm gardens," as our market gardens 
proper are too highly enriched and much too limited in ex- 
tent to render the cultivation of the Tomato profitable. 
To produce early crops, the seed must be put down in hot- 
beds or forcing pits, about ten weeks before the plants are 
safe or fit to put in the open ground. Thus, in this dis- 
trict, we sow in a hot-bed about the first week in 
March ; in April, the plants are fit to be set out, at a dis- 
tance of 4 or 5 inches apart, in another hot-bed. They 
are grown there (proper attention being given to the hot- 
beds as directed under that head) until the middle of 
May, when they are safe to place in the open ground. 
They are planted, for early crops, on light sandy soil, at a 
distance of 3 feet apart, in hills, in which a good rbovelfuU 
of rotted manure has been mixed. On heavy soils, which 
are not suited for an early crop, they should be planted 
4 feet apart. Some attach great importance to topping 
tfie leading shoot of the Tomato, so that it branches, 
arguing that by this means we get an earlier and heavier 
crop ; all our experience shows that no benefit whatever is 
derived from the practice. Like all vegetables grown on 
so large a scale, and in such varying soil and climate, the 
Tomato sells in our markets at prices varying widely, from 
$10 down to 25 cents per bushel. The average price for 
those raised in the district, being about $1 per bushel. 
The quantity raised per acre is about 400 bushels. This 
may seem at first glance to be quite a profitable crop foi 
a farmer ; but, every acre necessitates the use of at least 



VEGETABLES— ai-OMATO. 215 

100 sashes, for, on the second transplanting, about fifty 
plants only can be grown in a sash, and about 5000 plants 
are required for an acre. On one occasion, having a very 
suitable soil, I grew about four acres of Tomatoes for 
three years, which realized rae from $1500 to $2000 annu- 
ally in receipts / but I discovered that the operation was 
a losing one, as, to raise 20,000 plants for my four acres, 
I had to make use of 400 sashes, in which, in rather less 
time and with far less labor than it took to grow the To- 
mato plants. Lettuce could have been grown that would 
have sold for at least $2 per sash. Thus I lost annually, 
in preparing for the Tomato plants, half the receipts of the 
crop, before ever they were even planted. But there are 
many parts of the country where Lettuce, thus forward- 
ed, could not be sold, while Tomatoes could, which would 
materially change the aspect of the operation. In the 
southern sections of the country, convenient to shipping. 
Tomatoes are largely grown for the northern markets, and 
there sold at prices highly remunerative to the grower. 
In many instances, in the Southern States, the cultivation 
of Tomatoes for market is carelessly done, the seed being 
merely sown in the open ground and replanted, as we grow 
Cabbages. No doubt, by starting in January or Febru- 
ary with the hot-beds, or even cold frames, and planting 
out in March or April, they could be had at least two 
weeks earlier than they are now sent to us. 

There are always some one or more varieties, said to 
be earlier than others, sent out every spring, but it must 
be confessed that the varieties that we cultivated twenty 
years ago are not in earliness a day behind those issued 
as ** vastly superior" in 1866. Last spring, to test them 



216 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

thoroughly, I planted twenty-five plants each of the four 
most popular sorts, under circumstances exactly similar in 
all respects ; there was no difference whatever in earliness, 
and but little perceptible difference in productiveness. 

I believe that our ordinary methods of saving Tomato 
and all other seeds have, in fact, much to do in preventing 
as making any advance in procuring early varieties ; if we 
would only take the trouble to always select the first ma- 
tured fruits, and the best specimens only, for seeds, and 
so continue, there is no question whatever, but it would 
amply repay the trouble. But the grower for market 
grudges to give up his first basket of fruit, that may reaUze 
him $5 or $10, for a few ounces of seed, knowing that he 
can get plenty when his crop is not worth the gathering 
for market. But, depend upon it, he makes a mistake, 
for the seed fiom his first fruits would, perhaps, pay him 
a hundred times better, if used for seed, the next year, than 
any price he might get for it in the market. 

In private gardens, where space is often limited, a 
greater quantity of fruit will be obtained by elevating 
the branches of the Tomato from the ground with brush, 
such as is used for sticking Peas, or by tying to laths 
nailed against a board fence ; or, what is neater yet, the 
hoop training system as practised in France. But for 
market purposes, on a large scale, it would require to 
much labor. 

The following are a few of the many varieties grown. 

Early Smooth Red, — A very old variety, but one 
which, for general crop for market purposes, I believe ift 
yet unsurpassed. In the trial above referred to, it was 



VEGETABLES TOMATO. 217 

tested with the CooTc's Favorite^ Tilden^ and PoweWs 
Early ^ and with no perceptible advantage in earliness to 
either, but the Early Smooth presented the greatest 




Fig. 69. — EARLY SMOOTH RED TOMATO. 

amount of mai-kctable fruit. This variety is of medium 
size ; rich coral-red ; roundish ; much flattened ; very solid. 

The Cook's Favorite, — Differing but little from the 
preceding, except in shape of the fruit, which is rounder 
and less flattened. It is grown largely of late years in 
the neighborhood of Philadelphia, and in southern New 
Jersey, but is not yet a " favorite " in New York. 

Tilden* — This variety, issued last season with a fame 
that had been widely sounded as being far in advance of 
all others in earliness, productiveness, and every other 
good quality, will not sustain its recommendation. It 
proves, with me, no better in any respect than the first 
named on this list, and if no better, should never have 
been sent out. 

PowelPs Early. — Rather a distinct variety with smaller 
foliage than any of the preceding ; fruit smooth round, 
inclined to cluster; of a deep scarlet crimson color; very 
solid and with few seeds. 
10 



218 GARDElSriNG FOR PROFIT. 

Fejee. — The fruit of this variety is of the largest size ; 
color reddish-pink ; very solid, and well flavored ; a most 
abundant bearer. Its lateness, as well as its objectionable 
color, make it of little value as a market sort. 

Large Red. — Fruit large, irregular, but very solid; 
this variety is preferred by many to the smooth sorts, the 
flesh being more solid. It is not quite so early, but is 
preferable when weight of crop is wanted for catsup, or 
preservmg ; for this purpose it is grown largely as a late 
crop. 

Large Yellow. — ^Differing only from the preceding in 
color. 

Red and Yellow Plum. — Beautiful varieties, never ex- 
ceeding 2 inches in length, by 1 inch in diameter. They 
are mainly used for pickling and preserving. 

Tree Tomato. — This variety is entirely distinct from 
all the others, in its upright and tree-like habit. It was 
introduced to this country some six or seven years ago, 
from France, but has never shown any quality deserving 
general cultivation, and is now only grown in private gar- 
dens more as a half useful curiosity than anything else. 



TURNIP. — {Brassica campesiris.) 

The cultivation of the Turnip for an early crop for mar- 
ket purposes, sold bunched in the green state, is in all re- 
spects the same as detailed for Early Beets. The profits 
of the crop are also similar. The Turnip, however, for 
early crops, is rather more particular about soil than the 



VEGETABLES— TURNIP. 219 

Beet, and can best be produced early on light sandy or 
gravelly soils, highly enriched with manure. 

For late crops, sowings may be made, for Ruta Bagas, 
from May to September, in the different sections of the 
country ; here, the finest roots are obtained by sowing 
about first week in June. For white and yellow varieties, 
as they come quicker to maturity, sowing should be de- 
layed four or five weeks later. Here, we sow from the 
middle of July to the middle of August. 

Turnips, whether for early or late crops, should always 
be sown in drills, about 14 or 18 inches apart. In large 
quantities, they are sown by the machine, when one pound 
of seed will be enough for an acre. In the Northern 
States, it is necessary to take them up on the approach of 
severe weather, when they are best preserved during win- 
ter by being pitted, as recommended for other roots. The 
late crops of Turnips are by no means so profitable as the 
early, rarely realizing to the grower more than $75 per 
acre ; but like most other late crops of the garden or 
farm, they can be grown with less manure, are less perish- 
able if not immediately sold, and are consequently grown 
by the farmer on his less valuable but more extensive 
grounds. 

The following are the leading varieties grown. 

Purple Top Strap-leaved, — The variety mainly grown 
for early crop, attaining, when well grown, a diameter of 
5 to 6 inches, but is first gathered for market use at about 
half that size. It is a firm, solid variety, free from spon- 
giness, of very handsome appearance; the lower two- 
thirds of the root is white, while the upper portion has a 
well defined line of purple. 



220 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

White Dutch. — An old favorite sort, having nearly the 
same shape as the Purple Top, but entirely white ; it is 
equally early, and by some thought to be the best of all 
in flavor ; but is less salable in market, its appearance 
being less attractive. 

Yellow Aberdeen. — This is an excellent variety for culi- 
nary use, though not so early as the preceding ; the bulb 
is nearly round, of a dull yellow beneath, and purple or 
green at top. It is a very solid variety, keeping well 
throughout the winter, and as it attains a greater weight 
under favorable conditions, is much grown for stock. 



RUTA BAGA, OR SWEDES TURNIP. 

ImprOTed American. — The leading variety of this 
division of the family ; is grown very largely for winter 
sale in our northern markets. Under difierent culture, it 
assumes a great difierence of shape and size, average speci- 
mens being 6 inches long, by 4 or 5 inches wide. It is 
always hard and solid, and is perhaps specifically heavier 
than any other vegetable root cultivated. 

Laing's Pnrple Top. — A rather late variety, but, in 
good land, giving enormous crops. It produces a great 
abundance of leaves, and for this reason requires at least 
a space of 18 inches between the rows, and 12 inches be- 
tween the plants. In shape, it is nearly round ; smooth 
skinned, and handsome. 



SWEET HERBS THYME SAGE ETC. 221 

THYME, SAGE, SUMMER SAVORY, AND MAR- 
JORAM. 

I believe the cultivation of Sweet Herbs, for market 
purposes, is but little known in this country, except in the 
vegetable gardens in the vicinity of New York ; there it 
is practised to an extent of perhaps 60 or 70 acres, a fair 
average product of which would be about |500 per acre. 
Like the crops of Celery, Spinach, or Horseradish, they 
are grown only as a second crop, that is, they are planted 
in July, after an early crop of Peas, Cabbages, Beets, or 
Onions has been sold off. The varieties are Thyme, Sage, 
Summer Savory, and Sweet Marjoram, the former two 
being grown in the ratio of ten acres to one of the others. 

The seed is sown in April in rich mellow soil, carefully 
kept clean from weeds until the plants are fit to set out, 
which may be done any time that the ground is ready ^ 
from m^dle of June until end of July. As the plants are 
usually small and delicate, it is necessary that the ground 
be well fined down by harrowing and raking before plant- 
ing. The distance apart, for all the varieties, is about the 
same, namely, 12 inches between the rows, and 8 or 10 
inches between the plants ; the lines are marked out by 
the "mai-ker." (This is the "marker" used for many 
other purposes ; in lining out the rows for Early Cab- 
bages, for instance, every alternate line is planted, thus 
caving them 2 feet apart, their proper distance.) In 
eight or ten days after the herb crop has been planted, the 
ground is " hoed " lightly over by a steel rake, which dis- 
turbs the surface sufficiently to destroy the crop of weed 
that are just beginning to germinate ; it is done in one- 
thij'd of the time that it could be done by a hoe, and an- 



222 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

swers the purpose quite as well, as deep hoeing at this 
early stage of planting is perfectly useless. In ten or 
twelve days more, the same operation is repeated with 
the steel rake, which usually effectually destroys all weeds 
the seeds of which are near enough to the surface to 
germinate. We use the steel rake in lieu of a hoe on all 
our crops, immediately after planting, for, as before saiil, 
deep hoeing on plants of any kind when newly planted^ 
is quite unnecessary, and by the steady application of the 
rake, weeds are easily kept down, and it is great economy 
of labor never to allow them to start. The herb crop usu- 
ally covers the ground completely by the middle of Sep- 
tember. Then, every alternate line is cut out, each plant 
making about two " bunches." The object in cutting out 
the lines alternately is, to give room for the remaining 
lines to grow ; in this way nearly double the weight of 
crop is taken off the ground than if every line had been 
cut, and it frequently happens, on particularly rich soils, 
that at a second cutting every alternate line is again tak- 
en when the remaining lines, now standing 4 feet apart, 
will again meet. I had about an acre of Thyme treated 
by this process, in the fall of 1864, that sold for over 
$2000, — but this was an exceptional case, the crop being un- 
usually fine, and prices at that time were nearly double the 
ordinary ones. As before stated, the average yield is about 
$500 per acre. Herbs are always a safe crop for the mar- 
ket gardener ; they are less perishable than anything else 
grown, for, if there be any interruption to their sale in a 
green state, they can be dried and boxed up and sold in 
the dry state, months after, if necessary. The usual price 
is from $10 to $15 per 1000 bunches, and we always pre- 



SWEET HERBS — ^THYME — SAGE — ETC. 223 

fer to dry them rather than sell lower than $10 per 1000, 
experience telling us that the market will usually so reg- 
ulate itself as to handsomely pay for holding back the 
sale. The cost of getting the crop raised and marketed 
will average about $150 per acre, the principal expense 
being in tying it in bunches. But with many of our in 
dustrious German gardeners it does not cost half that, as 
the tying up is usually done by their wives and children in 
the evenings ; a pleasant as well as profitable occupation. 
There are but few varieties of the different kinds of 
Herbs, but of Thyme there are several, and it is very im- 
portant to plant only what is known as the " spreading 
variety ;" an upright sort, sometimes sold in the seed 
stores, is worthless as a market crop. The variety of 
JS'T^^, known as the Broad-leaved, is the best. 



APPENDIX. 



PROPAGATION OF PLANTS BY CUTTINGS. 



Although this subject is somewhat foreign to a work 
on vegetable gardening, yet it may be useful to many into 
whose hands this book may come, to know on what con- 
ditions, slips, or cuttings, form roots. The green-houses 
or forcing pits, shown in another part of the book, are 
such as can be used with complete success in rooting cut- 
tings of Grape Vines, Roses, Bedding Plants of all kinds, 
Evergreens, etc., etc. 

I do not know that I can present anything original on a 
subject that has been so often discussed ; but, although 1 
have but little that is new to offer, I will endeavor to 
simplify what too many gardeners, either intentionally or 
through ignorance, try to surround and befog with 
mystery. 

It is a general belief among many nurserymen that cut- 
tings can best be rooted on benches formed over tanks, 
but our large experience with every mode of heating in- 
224 



APPEiS^DIX. 225 

duces us to believe that these are not indispensable. I will 
only say in this connection, that any one who understands 
the conditions under which cuttings root, can accomplish 
the work by a hot-bed, or along the front bench of a green- 
house, with the flue or pipes running underneath, with 
perfect success ; although he could do so more rapidly and 
with less attention in a Propagating-house, fitted up with 
all the "modern improvements." While, on the other 
hand, the gardener that goes to work without a knowl- 
edge of these conditions, though provided with the best 
Propagating-house that ever was planned, will most cer- 
tainly fail, or, at least, will not have that unvarying success 
that the man who knows his business ever should have. 

Propagation by cuttings is always most successful be- 
tween the months of October and April, from the fact that 
during that period we have the necessary low atmospheric 
temperature, which I will endeavor to show is necessary to 
complete success. 

Our favorite system of propagating is by using cuttings 
of the "young wood," that is, young shoots that are 
formed by starting the plants in a green-house temperature, 
averaging from 40^ to 60^. The proper condition of the 
cutting is easily determined by a little experience. In the 
case of Roses, the best are " blind shoots," that is, the short 
shoots that do not show flower-buds ; and the time when 
hey are of the proper degree of hardness is determined 
by the flower-buds on the plant just beginning to develope. 
But with bedding plants, generally, we never can get the 
cuttings too soft, provided that they have not been grown 
in a high temperature, and a close atmosphere. The tops 
of the young shoots are always best, although, if an elong- 
10* 



226 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

ated shoot is soft enough, it may be cut into sections of one 
or two inches in length. 

In making cuttings, preparatory to being inserted in the 
sand of the bench, it is of no importance whatever to cut 
immediately below a joint, as three out of every four of 
the gardeners we meet still think necessary. 

In making cuttings, our custom is entirely the reverse 
of that practice, as we cut usually as much below a joint 
as the cutting is inserted in the sand, — generally some- 
thing less than an inch. This is done as a matter of 
economy, both of time and material, as it is much quicker 
done, and more cuttings can be so obtained than by cut- 
ting at a joint ; they are also easier planted in the sand : 
for in putting in cuttings of any kind we never use a 
" dibber," we merely push the cutting down to the first 
leaf, when hard enough to bear it ; when too soft, lines 
are marked out in the sand by a thin knife, so that the 
soft cuttings may be inserted without injury ; they are 
then watered with a fine rose, which compacts the sand 
sufficiently firm. 

I now come to what I have long considered as the only 
" secret " of successful propagation, namely, the temper- 
ature ; very simple to give a rule for, but still somewhat 
difficult to keep to that rule without too much variation. 

Soft cuttings, or cuttings of the young wood, should 
have a bottom heat of from 65^ to 75^, and the atmosphere 
of the house should be always, when practicable, from 10^ 
to 15^ lower. If this is strictly adhered to, you are just 
as certain of a crop of healthy rooted cuttings, in from 
ten to twenty days, as you would be of a crop of Peas or 
Radishes in May. But once let these conditions be deviated 



APPENDIX. 227 

from, for a single hour, by allowing a dash of sun to raise 
the temperature of the house or frame to 85^ or 90"^, then 
the soft unrooted slip will " wilt," its juices being expend- 
ed, the process of rooting is delayed, and, if the " wilt " 
has been severe enough, entirely defeated. The same cau 
tion is necessary in applying the '' bottom heat," for, if 
the fire is applied indiscriminately, without regard to the 
weather, it will be found that you will run the temperature 
of the bench above "the point of safety," (75^), and in 
proportion as this has been exceeded, so in proportion 
will be your want of success. It is true that some cut- 
tings will stand a higher temperature than 75^ bottom 
heat, (grape vines, perhaps, 10"^ more), but with plants in 
general, it will be better to let 75^ be the maximum. 

In the propagation of Roses, etc., by cuttings of the 
old or hard wood, less attention is required, but success is 
not always so uniform, nor, in my opinion, are the plants 
so obtained quite so good as those made from cuttings 
of young wood. We prefer to place old, or hard-wood 
cuttings, in the north or west side of a house, or, in fact, 
anywhere where they can be kept the coolest without be- 
ing actually frozen. Any attempt to apply bottom heat 
to the degree used for soft cuttings, will almost certainly 
destroy them. The temperature of the house may range 
from 40^ to 60^. 

In propagating grape vines, however, this rule does not 
apply, as it does to the hard wood of Roses, and other 
shrubs ; with these, the treatment is nearly in all respects 
similar to that already described in propagating from 
young wood. The vine delights in a high temperature, 
and consequently even the eyes or cuttings, in a dormant 



228 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

State, when put in to propagate, require a temperature 
that would be quickly destructive to the hard or old-wood 
cutting of a Rose. Grapes, when raised under glass, 
are always propa'gated from single eyes, that is, one bud, 
with about 2 inches of the under part of the shoot at- 
ached; these are planted in the sand of the bench, at 
from 1 to 2 inches apart, (according to the size of the eye 
or cutting), and pressed down so that the bud is just above 
the surface of the sand. The eyes may be put in from 
January until May, but the best season to begin is about 
1st March. 

I will now say a word in relation to the sand or coin- 
post used for propagating cuttings. I know there is con- 
siderable diflFerence of opinion on this subject ; almost ev- 
ery propagator having his preferences. My opinion is, 
that the color or even the texture of the sand or compost 
has little or nothing to do with the formation of roots; 
experiments having satisfied me, beyond all doubt, that 
the sand or compost is only a medium to hold the 
moisture. 

Experiments with pure water^ saw-dust^ charcoal^ ant 
thracite^ hrick-dust^ and sands of all colors and textures. 
showed that cuttings f^laced in each, in the same temper- 
ature, rooted almost simultaneously, and equally well 
There are rarely ever any deleterious substances in sand 
unless it is the saline matter in that taken from the sea shore, 
which had better never be used when it can be had from 
;inywhere else. Many of my nurseryman friends I know 
b,^ye been victimized to a ridiculous extent in this matter, 
by freighting sand hundreds of miles to suit the caprice, 
or temporarily bide the failures, of their propagators ; 



APPENDIX. 229 

as, for the want of success in two cases out of three, the 
sand is made the scape-goat. 

The most insidious enemy of the young cutting is the 
spider-web-like substance, which now, by common consent 
among gardeners, is called The Fungus of the Cutting 
Bench, Whenever this pest is seen, it may be taken for 
granted that the temperature has been too high^ and the 
atmosphere too close. The remedy is to raise the sashes 
enough to allow the exit of the heavy atmosphere, which 
will at the same time lower the temperature. I have ob- 
served that the "fungus" can never exist to an injurious 
extent in a temperature below 50^. 

Before closing, I will briefly advert to a simple process 
of rooting cuttings, which is by far the most covenient 
for amateurs or for professional gardeners, who have no 
regular propagating-house. It is what is known here as 
the " Saucer System." It consists simply in filling plates 
or saucers with sand, the cuttings are then inserted, some- 
what closely together — from an inch to two inches apart ; 
the plates are then watered, so that the sand gets into a 
half-liquid state ; they are then placed in the parlor win- 
dow, or stage of the green-house, entirely exposed to the 
sun, and never shaded. All that is further required is, 
that the sand must be kept in the condition of mud until 
the cuttings are rooted, which will be in from ten to 
twenty days, according to the temperature, or state of 
the cutting. Great care must be taken that they never 
get dry, or the whole operation will fail. This is a very 
safe method of rooting cuttings, and one that during hot 
weather is preferable to all others. 



MONTHLY CALENDAR. 



The success of all garden operations depends upon 
preparatory measures ; for this reason, the beginner in 
the business can be much benefited by being reminded, as 
he goes along, of the work necessary to be done to ensure 
successful results in the future. To do this, I must to 
seme extent repeat directions given in the body of the 
work, but as they will be presented here in a condensed 
form, they will not tax the time of the reader. As in all 
other references made to dates, the latitude of New York 
is taken as a basis, that being not only the point from 
which our experience has mostly been derived, but also 
one that will best suit the majority of readers throughout 
the country. Those whose location is more southerly or 
northerly must use their judgment in adapting the direc- 
tions to suit their locality. 

January. — Vegetation in our Northern States is com 
pletely dormant during this month, so that, as far as opera- 
tions in the soil are concerned, it might be a season of 
leisure ; but the business of gardening being one that so 
largely requires preparation, there is always plenty to do. 
230 



i 



MONTHLY CALENDAR. 231 

The ground being usually frozen, and giving us good 
hauling, it is always the month in which our energies are 
given to getting manure, muck, lime, etc., into conveni- 
ent places for spring work. Care should be taken to get 
manure in heaps large enough to generate sufficient heat 
to prevent its being frozen, so that it can be turned and 
broken up thoroughly before it is spread upon the ground. 
This work is often very slovenly performed, and the value 
of manure much reduced by inattention to turning and 
breaking it up during winter. Sometimes it is injured by 
being thinly scattered, so that it freezes solid; and again, 
if thrown into large heaps, and left unturned, it burns by 
violent heating, getting in the condition which gardeners 
call "fire fanged." It is always an indication that the 
manure heap needs turning when it is seen to emit vapor, 
no matter how often it has been turned previously, for it 
should always be borne in mind that it quickly loses by 
heating, while it always gains by a thorough breaking up . 
in turning. 

January is usually the month in which we have our . 
heaviest snow storms, which often entail on us an immense 
amount of necessary, though unprofitable labor, not only 
in clearing roads, but also in clearing off the snow from 
our cold frames and forcing pits, for even at this season of 
dormant vegetation, light is indispensable to the well-be- 
ing of our vegetable plants ; unless they are in a frozen 
condition^ that is, if we have had a continuation of zero 
weather, all our plants of Cabbage, Lettuce, Cauliflower, 
etc., are frozen in the cold frames ; if in this state^ the 
glass is covered up by snow, it is unnecessary to remove 
It even for two or three weeks, but if the weather has 



232 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

been mild so that the plants under the sashes have not 
been frozen when covered by snow, then the snow must 
be cleared from the glass as soon as practicable. In the 
green-houses, hot-beds, or forcing pits, where artificial heat 
is used, the removal of the snow from the glass is of the 
utmost consequence. 

If not done in December, the final covering up of Cel- 
ery trenches, root pits, and all things requiring protection 
from frost, should be attended to in the first week of this 
month. 

Should the ground be open enough to allow of dig- 
ging, (which occasionally occurs here even in January), 
let all roots, remaining in the ground, be dug up and pit- 
ted, as another chance is not likely to occur before spring. 
Cold frames and forcing pits, particularly the former, 
should be aired whenever the weather will permit, for it 
is necessary, to carry them safely through until spring, 
that they may be properly hardened. (See article on 
Cold Frames.) 

February. — ^The gardening operations differ but little 
from those of January, except that in the latter part of the 
month, as the days lengthen and the sun gets brighter, 
more air may be given to framing and forcing pits. Hot 
manure should now be got forward to be prepared for hot- 
beds, and if desired, some may be foimed this month. (See 
article on Hot-beds.) Have all tools purchased or repair- 
ed, so that no time may be lost in the more valuable days 
of next month. It is important to have always spare 
tools of the leading kinds, so that men may not be thrown 
idle, at a hurried season, by the breaking of a fork, spade, 
or hoe. In harness and implements, connected with the 



MONTHLY CALENDAR. 233 

teams, it is of great importance to have spare parts to 
replace those liable to be broken ; otherwise, frequently 
half a day is lost, by the breaking of a whiffle-tree, or 
plow share, causing more loss by delay, than three or four 
times the cost of the article. 

March — ^is one of the busiest months in the year with us. 
Hot-beds are made, and planted or sown, and Lettuce crops 
may be planted in cold frames and forcing pits, (see direc- 
tions under these heads). In the latter part of the month 
we often begin, on dry soils, the sowing or planting in the 
open ground of such hardy vegetables as Horseradish, 
Cabbage, Lettuce, Onions, Radishes, Turnips, etc., etc. 
Although we gain but little in earliness by starting before 
April, yet it forwards our operations, so that it equalizes 
labor more than when starting late in spring. Enthusi- 
astic beginners must avoid the too common error of be- 
ginning out-door operations too soon, when the soil is 
not sufficiently dry ; for, if the soil is dug or plowed while 
wet, it is highly injurious, not only destroying the pres- 
ent crop, but injuring the land for years after. 

New plantations of Asparagus, Rhubarb, Sea Kale, and 
Artichokes may be made, and old beds top-dressed, by 
digging in short manure close around the plants ; we con- 
sider it more economical of manure to do this in spring, 
than in fall. (See Asparagus.) 

Such roots as Cabbage, Carrot, Celery, Leek, Lettuce, 
Onion, Parsnip, etc., planted to produce seed, may be set 
out the latter part of this month, on soils that are warm 
and dry, drawing earth up around the crowns so as to 
protect them from sharp frosts; in hoeing, in April, this 
9oil is removed. 



234 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

Where extra laborers are wanted for the garden, I have 
always considered it economy to secure them in the early 
part of March, even a week or two before they are really 
needed, for if the hiring of them is delayed until the rush 
of work is upon us, we often have to pay higher rates for 
inferior hands, and have less time to initiate them in their 
duties. To such as require large numbers of hands, and 
look to such ports as New York for emigrants, let me cau- 
tion my friends from the rural districts not to believe too 
implicitly in the promises of these prospective American 
citizens. Much vexatious experience has taught me 
that one out of every three men is either worthless, or 
will run away, so that for many years back, if I wanted 
four hands, I made one job of it and hired six, well know- 
ing, that before a week had passed, my force would be 
reduced to the required number. 

April — ^brings nearly all the operations of the garden 
under way, the planting and sowing of all the hardy vari- 
eties of vegetables is completed this month. (See table, 
in article on Seed Sowing). Look well to the hot-beds, 
cold frames, or forcing pits ; they will require abundance 
of air, and, (where artificial heat is used), plenty of water ; 
we have now bright sunshine, promoting rapid vegetation 
under glass, and to have heavy crops, they must not be 
stinted in water. Hot-beds are particularly critical in this 
month; an hour or two of neglect, in giving air, may 
quickly scorch the tender plants that you have been 
nursing with so much care for a month previous; and a 
balmy April day may terminate in a stinging frost at 
night, making short work of your hot-beds if they are 
not well covered up by straw mats. 



MONTHLY CALENDAR, 235 

Plantations of Asparagus, Rhubarb, etc., if not made 
last month, should now be done, as those set out later than 
April, will not make such a vigorous growth. Succession 
crops of Lettuce, Beets, Cabbage, Onions, Peas, Potatoes, 
Radishes, Spinach, Turnips, etc., may be planted or sown 
during the latter part of the month, to succeed those 
planted in March and early part of April. 

The early sown crops should be hoed, and the ground 
stirred close to the young plants, so as to destroy the germ 
of the weeds now appearing. 

May. — ^Although the bulk of the hardy vegetables is 
now planted, yet the tender varieties are still to come ; they 
require more care as they are more susceptible of injury, 
by too early or injudicious planting, than the others. In 
the early part of the month, the succession crops, named 
in April, may be yet planted so as to produce good crops, 
and the tender varieties, such as Bush Beans, Corn, Melon, 
Okra, Pepper, Squash, Tomato, may be sown or planted 
after the middle of the month ; but Egg Plants, Sweet 
Potatoes, Lima Beans, and Peppers, had better be delayed 
to the last week in May. The first produce of the spring 
plantings will now be ready for use. Lettuce or Radishes, 
planted in cold frames in March, are matured from 5th to 
20th May, and if covered up by straw mats at nigkt, ten 
days earlier. In warm situations, on rich, light soils, the 
Radishes, Lettuce, Turnips, or Peas, planted in March, are 
fit for market. Rhubarb and Asparagus are also fit to be 
gathered, on early soils, the latter part of the month. 

Additional labor is now beginning to be required, 
the marketing of crops occupying a large portion of the 
time, while the thinning out of sown crops, and the keep- 



236 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

ing down of weeds which are now showing themselves 
everywhere, entails an amount of labor not before neces- 
sary. To withhold labor at this critical time, is short- 
sighted economy, whether by the owner of a private 
or market garden ; for let the crops planted and sown, 
once get enveloped by weeds, it will often cost more in 
labor to clean the crop, than it will sell for ; it is not at all 
an uncommon occurrence to see acres of Carrots or Par* 
snips plowed down, after being carefully manured and 
sown, from neglect or inability of the owner to procure 
labor at the proper time. The rapid development of weeds 
is, to the inexperienced, very deceptive ; a crop of Car- 
rots, Parsnips, Beets, or Onions, may appear to be easily 
manageable at a given day in May ; but a few days of con- 
tinued rain occurs, and the crop, that could have been 
profitably cultivated on the 15th, is hopelessly over-grown 
on the 25th. 

June is one of the months in which we reap the reward 
of our operations in the market garden ; at this time, 
the bulk of all the early crops matures. So far, nearly all 
has been outlay; now we receive the returns. In this 
district, our early crops of Asparagus, Beets, Cauliflower, 
Cabbage, Lettuce, Onion, Peas, Radishes, Rhubarb, Spin- 
ach, and Turnip, are sold off, and the ground plowed for 
the second crop, (except in the cases of Asparagus and 
Rhubarb), by the end of the month. For private gar- 
dens, succession crops of Beets, Bush Beans, Cabbages, 
Cucumbers, Lettuce, Peas, Radishes, and Potatoes, may 
still be planted, but it would hardly be profitable for mar- 
ket purposes ; as it would occupy the land wanted by the 
market gardener for his second crop, besides the market 



MONTHLY CALENDAR, 237 

buyer of the cities will hardly touch a vegetable or fruit be- 
hind its season at any price. He will pay 10 cents per bunch 
for Radishes in May, and will pass by a far better article 
of flie same kind in July or August, though offered at one- 
fifth the price. He will give 50 cents per quart for Toma- 
toes, (half-ripe), in June, that he could not be induced to 
touch in October, if he could buy them at 25 cents per 
bushel. 

The Cucumbers, planted in cold frames and forcing 
pits, are also marketable in the latter part of this month. 
Great care must be taken to have them abundantly water- 
ed in dry weather ; inattention to watering, (particularly 
of all vegetables under glass), is sure to entail loss on the 
cultivator, by giving an imperfect or partial crop. Water- 
ing had better be done in the evening, whenever the surface 
appears dry, not by a mere sprinkling, but by a thorough 
soaking ; not less than a gallon to every square yard of 
surface. As soon as the Cucumbers are all cut from the 
frames, the sashes should be piled up at the ends of each 
section, and covered with a shutter, and a weight of some 
kind put on the top, to prevent them being blown off by 
high winds. 

July. — ^The remaining part of the spring crops are 
cleared off in the early part of this month, and by the 
middle of it, unless the season is unusually dry, all the 
ground is planted with the second crops of Celery, Sage, 
Thyme, Late Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, or Leeks. 
Little is done to these crops this month, as but little 
growth is made during the hot dry weather, and newly 
planted crops are merely stirred between the rows with 
the hoe or cultivator. Some of the other later crops are now 



238 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

maturing for market. Bush Beans, Cucumbers, Potatoeg, 
Squashes, and in early places, Tomatoes ; also succession 
crops of Peas, Beets, Onions, Cabbages, etc., such of 
these as only mature during the end of the month, render 
the second crops rather late, unless for the later crops of 
Celery and Spinach. 

August. — ^Except the months of January and Febru- 
ary, August is a month requiring less labor in the market 
garden than any other; usually all the planting has been 
done in July, and the long drouths common at this season, 
stagnate the growth of even our most luxuriant weeds, 
so that in this month, of all others, the garden ought 
to be clean. 

Late plantings of Celery may be made, to the middle of 
the month, and still make fair-sized roots for winter. 
Spinach may also be sown for an early crop, to be cut off 
in fall. Ruta Baga Turnips should be sown early in the 
month, and the white and yellow varieties during the later 
part. If the fly attacks them, it may be kept down, so as 
to do but little harm, by frequent applications of lime, 
dusted lightly over the rows. Bush Beans and Peas, may 
Sstill be sown for late crops. The Onion crop will ripen 
'X)ff during this month, and when convenient to market, 
should be offered for sale as soon as gathered, as the 
nrice received for those first sold, is frequently double that 
of those coming in ten days later. 

September. — The cool nights and moist atmosphere of 
this month begin to tell strikingly on the crops planted for 
fall use ; Celery, Cabbage, and Cauliflower, now grow rap- 
idly, and require repeated stirring of the soil with the 
l>low, cultivator, or hoe. Celery, that is wanted for use 



MONTHLY CALEKDAR. 289 

towards the latter part of the month, may now be " han- 
dled," or straightened up, and the earth drawn to it by 
the hoe ; in a week or so after, it may be " banked up " 
by the spade to half its hight, allowed to grow for an- 
other week or more, until it lengthens out a little further, 
when the banking should be continued as high as its top. 
In ten days, (at this season), when thus finished, it is 
blanched sufficiently to use, and should then be used, or 
it will soon spoil. Care must be taken that no more is 
banked up than can be sold or used, as it is not only 
labor lost, but is decidedly hurtful to the Celery, by mak- 
ing it hollow. The practice recommended by most au- 
thorities, and still practiced by private gardeners, is, to 
keep earthing it up every two weeks from the time it 
begins to grow ; this is utter nonsense, resulting in giving 
Celery tough, stringy, and rusty — utterly unfit to eat, 
while the expenditure in labor would be twice more than 
the price it would bring if sold ; for further information 
on this important subject, see article on Celery. The seeds 
of Cauliflower, Cabbage, and Lettuce, should be sown this 
month, from the 10th to the 20th, for the purpose of be- 
ing pricked out in cold frames to be wintered over ; it is 
very important that the sowing should be done as near 
these dates as possible, for if sown much before the 10th, 
the plants may run up to seed when planted out in spring, 
if much later than the 20th, they would be too weak to 
be wintered over. Shallots and Onions should also be 
planted this month, and Spinach and German Greens, or 
^* Sprouts," sown to be wintered over, all now for spring use 
October. — ^This month corresponds in part to June of 
the siunmer months, being tha^ in which the returns from 



240 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

the second crops come iu. Celery, that has been banked 
or earthed up, now sells freely and in considerable quanti- 
ties ; all the crop should this month be " handled," and 
as much as possible earthed up. Cauliflower is always 
scarce and dear in the early part of this month, but unless 
the fall has been unusually moist, is generally not matured 
until towards the end of the month. Thyme, Sage, and 
all Sweet Herbs, should now be sold, from the beginning 
of the month, cutting out only every alternate row, as it 
gives the crop time to grow, so that the remaining rows 
spread sufficiently to fill the space. (See article on 
Thyme, etc). 

The crops planted or sown last month, must now be 
carefully hoed, and the weeds removed; for, though 
weeds are not quite so numerous in variety as in summer, 
Chickweed, now very abundant, is one of the most ex- 
pensive weeds of the garden to eradicate. 

The plants of Cabbage, Cauliflower, and Lettuce, re- 
commended to be sown last month, are now fit to be 
pricked out in the cold frames. (See detail of the process.) 

November. — This month warns us that winter is ap- 
proaching, and preparations should be carefully made to- 
wards securing all products of the garden that are perish- 
able by frost. The process of putting away the Celery 
crop in trenches for winter use, (see Celery article), should 
be begun about the 5th or 10th of the month in dry 
weather ; that put in trenches then, will be blanched suf 
ficiently for use in six or eight weeks, but when sufficient 
lelp can be obtained, it will always pay well to bank or 
Marth up a large portion of Celery by the spade, clear to 
the top; this will keep it safe from injury from any 



MONTHLY CALENDAR. 241 

frost that we have in this month, and thus protected, it 
need not be put away into winter quarters — ^the trenches 
— ^before the end of November ; put away thus late, it will 
keep without the loss of a root until March or April, 
when it is always scarce and high in price. 

The great difficulty most persons have, is from stowing it 
away and covering it up too early ; this practice of earth- 
ing it up to the top roughly in November we have only 
practiced for the past two seasons, but find the extra labor 
well repaid, as we are enabled thus to save this very valu- 
.able crop without loss. There is rarely need of applying 
any covering of leaves or litter to the trenches this 
month, and it cannot be too often told that the cov- 
ering up of vegetables of all kinds in winter quarters 
should be delayed to the very last moment that it is safe 
to do so. Beets, Carrots, Cabbages, and Cauliflowers, 
must be dug up, and secured this month in the manner re- 
commended in '^Preserving Vegetables in Winter.'* 
Horseradish, Salsify, and Parsnips, being entirely hardy, 
and frost proof, need not necessarily be dug, although 
from the danger of their being frozen in the ground next 
month, if time will permit, the work had better be prog- 
ressing. 

All clear ground should be dug or plowed, and properly 

J leveled^ so that on the opening of spring operations can 

^ be begun with as little delay as possible. If draining is 

required, this is the most convenient, time to do it, the 

ground being clear, and not yet much frozen. 

Towards the end of the month, the sashes should be put 
on the Cabbage and Lettuce plants in cold nights, but on 
11 



M2 GARDENING FOR PROFIT. 

no account should they be kept on in day time, as it is of 
the utmost importance that they be not made tender at 
this time by being "drawn" under the sashes. I may 
again repeat that these plants are half hardy, and it is 
killing them with kindness to protect them from slight 
freezing. Cabbage and Lettuce plants may be exposed 
in any place without glass, or other protection, where the 
thermometer runs no lower than 10 above zero. Rhubarb 
and Asparagus beds will be benefited by a covering of 4 
or 6 inches of I'ough manure, or any other litter, to pre- 
vent the severity of the frost ; the crop from beds, thus 
covered, will come in a few days earlier, and will be 
Stronger than if left unprotected. 

December. — Occasionally, we have the ground open 
so that digging and plowing can be done to nearly the end 
of the month, but it is not safe to calculate much after the 
first week ; though by covering up the roots, still undug, 
with their own leaves or with litter, we are often enabled 
to dig our Horseradish or Parsnips very late in the month, 
and like all other vegetables, the later they remain in the 
soil they grow in, the finer is the quality. 

Celery trenches should receive the first covering, early 
hi the month, if the weather has been such that it has been 
unnecessary before ; the covering should not be less than 
4 or 5 inches of litter or leaves, only taking care that the 
material is light, weight or closeness would prevent evap- 
oration too much at this season, while the weather is not 
yet severe ; the final covering should not be later than the 
end of the month. 

The crops of Spinach, Kale, Onions, Shallots, etc., that 
have been planted or sown in September, should be cov- 



MONTHLY CALENDAE. 



243 



ered up with hay or straw if their position is much expos- 
ed ; if not, there is no particular necessity. When all has 
been secured safely in winter quarters, attention must be 
energetically turned to procuring manure, muck, and all 
available kinds of fertilizers; there is little danger of 
spending toe much in this way if you have it to spend-7 
depend upon it, thei^ is no better investment if you are 
working your^ardei for Profit. 




THE 

SMALL FRUIT CULTURIST. 

BY 

ANDREW S. FULLER. 
Beautifully Illustrated. 

We have heretofore had no work especially devoted to small 
fruits, and certainly no treatises anywhere that give the information 
contained in this. It is to the advantage of special works that the 
author can say all that he has to say on any subject, and not be 
restricted as to space, as he must be in those works that cover the 
culture of all fruits — great and small. 

This book covers the whole ground of Propagating Small Fruits, 
then* Culture, Varieties, Packing for Market, etc. While very full on 
^he other fruits, the Currants and Raspberries have been more care- 
fully elaborated than ever before, and in this important part of his 
book, the author has had the invaluable counsel of Charles Downing. 
The chapter on gathering and packing the fruit .is a valuable one, 
and in it are figured all the baskets and boxes now in common use. 
The book is very finely and thoroughly illustrated, and makes an 
admirable companion to the Grape Culturist, by the same author. 

Chap. I. Barberry. Chap. VII. Gooseberry. 

Chap. II. Strawberry. Chap. VIII. Cornelian Cherry. 

Chap. III. Raspberry. Chap. IX. Cranberry. 

Chap. IV. Blackberry. Chap. X. Huckleberry. 

Chap. V. Dwarf Cherry. Chap. XL Sheperdla. 

Chap. VI. Currant. Chap. XII. Preparation fok. 

GATHERING FrUIT. 



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NEW AND BEAUTIFUL -WORK. 




BY 

JOSIAH HOOPES, Westchester, Pa. 



INCLUDINa 



Propagation, Cultivation, Description of Varieties, and 
their Adaptability to Different Situations. 



This is a long-needjsd work, as in it the present state of our knowledge 
upon the cone-hearing plants, or Coniferse of the hotanist, is posted up. Mr. 
Hoopes is one of those persons rarely met with — a practical cultivator, and a 
man of science at the same time. While his work gives us all the Coniferas 
arranged in the classification of the botanist, it at the same time treats of the 
experience, not only of the author, hut of American cultivators generally, 
with this large and important family of plants. 

Evergreens play so interesting a part, not only in ornamental planting, but 
in what ma^ be termed economical planting, {i. e. hedges, screens, wind- 
breaks, etc.,) that we are sure a work which treats of their propagation and 
culture, describes in both popular and scientific language the many species, 
* and, what is of not the least importance, gives a list of the tender and un- 
reliable ones, will be warmly welcomed by every lover of these beautiful 
trees. 

Mr. Hoopes brings to his work a perfect enthusiasm for his subject, and 
is as free to condemn a plant as if he were not a nurseryman. All the latest 
novelties from Japan, the Northwest, etc., are noticed, and their success or 
failure, both in this country and in England, is recorded. 

The work is abundantly illustrated with most carefully executed engrav- 
ings, for the greater part from living specimens. 

We must commend the conscientious care the author has shown in striving 
to arrive at the proper names ; and doubtless much of the confusion that at 
present exists in respect to names among both dealers and growers, will be 
corrected now that they have a standard work to refer to, 

Not the least interesting portion of the book is an account of the principal 
collections of evergreens in the country. 

The work contains 435 pages, 12mo, on fine paper. 

Sent post-paid. Price, $3.00. 

ORANGE JUDD & CO., 

245 Broadway f N'ew-York City. 



VALUABLE AND BEAUTIFUL WORK. 



HAKRIS' 

Insects Injurious to Vegetation. 

BY THE LATE 

THADDEUS WILLIAM HARRIS, M.D. 

A New Edition, enlarged and improved, witli additions from the author's 
manuscripts and original notes. 
Illustrated by engravings drawn from nature under the supervision of 

Edited by CHARLES L. FLINT, 
Secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Agriculture. 

ooisn?EKrTS- 

CHAPTER I. 

INTRODUCTION.— Insects Defined— Brain and Nerves— Air-Pipes and Breath- 
ing-Holes—Heart and Blood— Metamorphoses or Transformations- 
Classification ; Orders and Groups. 

CHAPTER II. 

COLEOPTERA.— Beetles— Scarabaeians— Ground-Beetles— Tree-Beetles—Cock- 
chafers— Flower, Stag, Spring, Timber, Capricorn, Leaf-mining, and Tor- 
toise Beetles — Chrysomelians — Cantharides. 

CHAPTER III. 

ORTHOPTER A.— Earwigs — Cockroaches-- Soothsayers — Walking-sticks or 
Spectres— Mole, Field, Climbing, and Wingless Crickets— Grasshoppers- 
Katydid — Locusts. 

CHAPTER IV. 

HEMIPTERA.-Bugs— Squash-Bug— Clinch-Bug— Plant Bugs— Harvest Flies— 
Tree-Hoppers— Yine-Hoppers— Plant-Lice— American Blight— Bark-Lice. 

CHAPTER V. 

LEPI DO PTER A.— Caterpillars — Butterflies — Skippers —Hawk-Moths— ^ge- 
rians or Boring Caterpillars— Moths— Cut-Worms— Span-Worms— Leaf- 
Rollers — Fruit, Bee, Corn, Clothes, and Feather-Winged Moths. 

CHAPTER VI. 

HYMEN OPT ERA.— Stingers and Piercers—Saw-Flies and Slugs— Elm, Fir, 
and Vine Saw-Fly — Rose-Bush and Pear-Tree Slugs— Horn-Tailed 
Wood-Wasps—Gall-Flies— Barley Insect and Joint Worm. 

CHAPTER VII. 

DIPTERA.— Gnats and Flies— Maggots and their Transformations— Gall 
Gnats— Hessian, Wheat, and Radish Flies— Two-Winged Gail-Flies, an^ 
Fruit-Flies. 
APPENDIX.- The Army Worm. 

Published in two beautiful editions ; one plain, with steel engravings, 8vo, 
extra cloth, $4 ; the other in extra cloth, beveled boards, red edges, engrav- 
ings colored with great accuracy, $6. 
Sent post-paid on receipt of price. 

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DARWIN'S NEW WORK. 



THE VARIA-TIOTSr 



ANIMALS AND PLANTS 

UNDER DOMESTICATION. 

OH ARISES T>^:Ei-wiisr, ivr.^., m.R.s., eito. 
AUTHORIZED EDITION. 

BT 

PROFESSOR ASA GRAY. 

This work treats of the variations in our domestic animals and cultivated 
plants, discussing the circumstances that influence these variations, inherit- 
ance of peculiarities, results of in-and-in breeding, crossing, etc. 

It is one of the most remarkable books of the present day, presenting an 
array of facts that show the most extraordinary amount of observation and 
"esearch. AU the domestic animals, from horses and cattle to canary-birds and 
noney-bees, are discussed, as well as our leading culinary and other plants, 
making it a work of the greatest interest. 

Its importance to agriculturists, breeders, scientific men, and the general 
reader will be seen by its scope as indicated in the following partial enumera- 
tion of its contents : Pigs, Cattle, Sheep, Goats ; Dogs and Cats, Horses 
AND Asses ; Domestic Rabbits ; Domestic Pigeons ; Fowls, Ducks, Geese, 
Peacock, Turkey, Guinea Fowl, Canary-bird, Gold-fish ; Hive-bees ; 
Silk-moths. Cultivated Plants ; Cereal and Culinary Plants ; Fruits, 
Ornamental Trees, Flowers, Bud Variation. Inheritance, Reversion 
OR Atavism, Crossing. On the Good Effects of Crossing, and on thb 
Evil Effects of Close Interbreeding. Selection. Causes op Variabil- 
ITT, Laws op Variation, etc., eto. 

Pttblished in Two Volumes of nearly 1100 pages, 
SBINT POST-PAID, PRICE, $6.00. 

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THE AMEEIOA]^ 

ItrtiiiltMrml Ammiml 

FOR 1868. 



A. Year-Book 

FOR EVERY HOME. 

The second immber of tMs serial is now ready. It contains a 
popular record of horticultural progress during the past year, 
besides valuable articles from 

EMINENT HORTICULTURISTS. 



Among those who contributed to its pages are 

Doctor John A. Wabder, 
S. B. Parsons, 
Jas. J. H. Gregory, 



Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, 
Peter Henderson, 
Thomas Meehan, 
josiah hoopes, 
Wm S. Carpenter, 
George W. Campbell, 
Doctor Van Keuren, 



George Such, 
Andrew S. Fuller, 
John Saul, 
James Vick, 



and other well-known pomological and floricultural writers. 

The engravings, which have been prepared expressly for the 
work, are numerous, and make it the 

MOST BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED 

work of its kind ever published in this or any other country. It 
contains Tables, Lists of Nurserymen, Seedsmen, and Florists, and 
other useful matters of reference. Sent post-paid. Price, fancy 
paper covers, 50 cts ; cloth, 75 cts. 

ORANGE JUDD & CO., 

245 Broadway, New- York 



THE AMEKIOAN 

,grl®iltirml 

FOR 1868. 



^ Year-Book 

^ITanted by Everybody. 

This volume is now ready, and contains mncli of interest to 
every agriculturist. Besides the general record of agricultural 
progress, it has a valuable article on 

Factory I>airy Practice, 

By Gardner B. Weeks, Esq., Secretary of the American Dairy- 
men's Association, in which he discusses the reasons for the best 
practice and the most approved apparatus, buildings, etc., fully il- 
lustrated, and is equally interesting to the practical dairyman and 
to the novice. 

Sewers and Earth-Closets 

In their relations to Agriculture, by Col. Geo. E. Waring, Jr. 

Winter TTlieat, 

Describing, with engravings, new and valuable varieties by Joseph 
Harris and John Johnston ; an article upon 

Scythes and Cradles, 

By John W. Douglas, (fully illustrated ;) also articles on Horse- 
Breaking and on Bitting Colts, by Sam'l F. Headly, Esq., (il- 
lustrated;) on Recent Progress in Agricultural Science, by Prof 
S. W. Johnson ; on Commercial Fertilizers, Veterinary Medicine 
and Jurisprudence, Progress of Invention Affecting Agriculture, 
Valuable Tables for Farmers and others, etc. 

It is intended that the work shall be practical, excellent in the 
beauty of its illustrations, and in its adaptation to the wants of 
American Farmers, superior to' anything of the kind heretofore 
published. 

In its general features it is like the Agricultural Annual for 1837, 
containing an Almanac and Calendar, and there will be added a 
list of dealers in Agricultural Implements, Seeds, etc. Sent post- 
paid. Price, fancy paper covers, 50 cts. ; cloth, 75 cts. 

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A VALUABLE NEW BOOK. 

THE GRAPE VINE. 

BY FREDERICK MOHR, 

DOOTOE OP PHILOSOPHY AND MEDICINE. 

Translated from the German, and accompanied with Hints 

on the Propagation and General Treatment of 

American Varieties. 

This work is mainly devoted to the most elementary matters. It ex- 
plains the structure ana mode of growth of the vine so clearly that no 
intelligent person who reads it need be in doubt what to do with his 
vines. It has been well translated, and a chapter on the propagation 
of American varieties has been substituted for the original one on multi- 
plying the European grape. As anatomy is the foundation of surgery, 
so is a knowledge of the structure of the vine to the vine-dresser. In 
both cases, it is as important to know when and where to cut and how. 

CONTENTS: 
Developuient and Structure of the Orape Vine, 
Tlie Node; Tlie Brancli; Reasons for Pruning; Pruning. 
Training on Trellises ; Summer Treatment ; Plantations* 
Vines Trained along tlie Garden Walk. 
Trellises on \¥alls ; Tree Trellises. 
Vines Trained to Trellises ; Bronner's Metliod. 
Time Required for Covering a Trellis. 
Manuring tlie Vine ; Age of Vineyard. 
Tlie Rising Sap in tlie Vine ; Tlie Grape Disease. 
Treatment of Vines Injured by Frost. 

Implements ; Proper Time to Perform Worlc on tlie Vine. 
Constituents of tlie Vine and tlieir Distribution. 
Propagation of the Vine: By liayers; By Cuttings; By 

Grafting; By Inarching; By Seeds. 
Hybridization. 
American Varieties — General Management; Planting; 

Pruning; Pincliiug; Covering in Fall. 

SENT POST-PAID, PRICE $1. 

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AMERICAN POMOLOGY. 
APPLES. 

By IDoct. JOHlSr A.. TV^^lR-DER,, 

PRESIDENT OHIO POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY; VICE-PEE SIDENT AMKEICA-N POMOLOQIOA.^ 

SOCIETY. 

This volume has about 750 pages, the first fS.75 of which are de 
voted to the discussion of ^e general subjects of propagation, nur, 
seiy culture, selection and planting, cultivation of orchards, care oi 
fruit, insects, and the like ; the remainder is occupied with descrip- 
tions of apples. With the richness of material at hand, the trouble 
was to decide what to leave out. It will be found that while the 
old and standard varieties are not neglected, the new and promising 
sorts, especially those of the South and West, have prominence. 
A list of selections for different localities by eminent orchardists ia 
a valuable portion of the volume, while the Analytical Index ox 
Catalogue Baisonne^ as tlie French would say, is the most extended 
American fruit list ever published, and gives evidence of a fearful 
amount of labor. 

OONTENTS. 

Cliapter I INTRODUCTORY. 

Chapter II.— HISTORY OF THK APPIiE; 
Chapter III PROPAGATION. 

Buds and Cuttings— Gmfting— Budding— The Nursery. 
Chapter IV.— DTV^ARFING. 
Chapter V.— DISEASES. 

k Chapter VI THE SITE FOR AN ORCHARD. 

>apter VII PREPARATION OF SOIIi FOR AN ORCHARD. 

s^hapter VIII.— SELECTION AND PT^ANTING. 
Iiapter IX.— CULTURE, Etc. 
lapter X.— PHILOSOPHY OP PRUNING. 

Chapter XI.— THINNING. 
Chapter XII.— RIPENING AND PRESERVING FRUITS. 

Chapter XIII and XIV INSECTS. 

Chapter XV CHARACTERS OF FRUITS AND TMELR 

VALUE— TERMS USED. 
Chapter XVI — CLASSIFICATION. 

Necessity for- Basis of— Characters — Shape — Its Regu- 
larity — Flavor— Color — Their several Values, etc., Do 
Bcriptiou of Apples. 

Chapter XVII FRUIT LISTS — CATALOGUE AND INDEX OF 

FRUITS. 

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THE 






ANDEEW S. FULLER. 



NEW AND ENLARQED EDITION. 



THE STANDARD WORK 

ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE HARDY GRAPE. 

AS IT NOT ONLY DISCUSSES PRINCIPLES. 

BUT 

ILLUSTRATES PRACTICE. 

Every tiling is made perf^tLy plain, and. its teaoh.- 
ings may be followed npon 

ONE VINE OR A VINE^Y^A^D. 

The following are some of the topics l^at are treated ; 

Growing New Varieties from Seed. 

Propagation by Single Buds or Eyes. -• , 

Propagating Houses and their Management fully described. 

How TO Grow. 

Cuttings in Open Air, and how to Make Layers. 

Grafting the Grape — A Simple and Successful Method. 

Hybridizing and Crossing — Mode of Operation. 

Soil and Situation — Planting and Cultivation. 

Pruning, Training, and Trellises — all the Systems Explained. 

Garden Culture — How to Grow Vines in a Door- Yard. 

Insects, Mildew, Sun-Scald, and other Troubles. 

Description of the Valuable and the Discarded Varieties. 



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909 



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